Tutorials

PHP Basic Database Handling

by Crayon Violent on Jun 20, 2008 2:06:06 PM

"Handling a database with PHP" can be a bit misleading. PHP is not the one responsible for doing anything to your database. All it does is send the query string to your database and your database executes the query.

PHP's job is to build that query string. This can be done statically or dynamically. Static means not changing. Dynamic means changing. A static query string would look something like this:

id is assigned the value of 1. It's hardcoded into the script, no changing that whatsoever, unless for instance you use a variable in place of the value, like this:

Using variables is one of the most basic ways of dynamically building a query string. You can also use variables in place of the column name, or even use conditions to dynamically add pieces to the query string. Your query string is just that - a string - so you can use any string manipulation technique, function, construct, etc.. out there on your query string, as long as the end result produces a valid query for your database.

In our script, we are going to execute a few database queries by using some basic methods of dynamic query string creation. There are, of course, a million and one better ways to do what we want to do in this script, but in my experience, elegant coding does not usually make an elegant tutorial example.

Comments

This is an incredible tutorial, i knew how to handle databases but it was so goood to recap, plus a few little things that i learned, and you have a nice way to explain. I had a great time reading it. Thanks :D

1. fearlex on Jun 27, 2008 3:54:27 PM

We're using ODBC-connect, ODBC_exec, etc. How do I create a new record using ODBC? I don't imagine I can do it with mysql commands?

2. peteschulte on Jul 23, 2008 6:36:06 PM

Well I don't really know anything about ODBC but they do have their own database handling functions in PHP that are very similar to all of the mysql_xxx counterparts. Here is a link to the functions php offers for ODBC: PHP ODBC functions

A kind of skimmed over the functions and it looks like all you really need to do is switch out the mysql_xxx functions with their ODBC_xxx counterparts.

All the code for the form and receiving info from the user etc.. would not need to be altered.

3. Crayon Violent on Jul 26, 2008 3:02:30 PM

I knew that how to handle the database through PHP, but after reading this tutorial i think it's more than i think. It's really good. Thanks!

4. deepshah on Aug 11, 2008 2:05:41 AM

I've just started to learn how to use PHP with MySQL so this tutorial has been *very* useful!

I had already put together scripts and an html form to accomplish similar things to those shown in the tutorial but with the scripts in several seperate .php files. Having everything in one file makes much more sense!

Many thanks

5. ma2tt on Aug 16, 2008 10:29:59 AM
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