Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE

**code green** · Apr 8 '10, 11:17 AM

Tidy up the quotes in the query

**qila** · Apr 8 '10, 12:10 PM

is it like this??

Code:

      <?php
     if(isset($_POST['Submit'])){
	 $sql = "UPDATE Promo_Booking SET GuestFirstName = "$_POST[guestfirstname]", GuestLastName = "$_POST[guestlastname]",
	        Promo = "$_POST[promo]", NumberOfAdults = "$_POST[adults]", NumberOfChildren = "$_POST[child]",
			EmailAddress = "$_POST[email]", MobilePhone = "$_POST[phone]", Nationality = "$_POST[nationality]",
			CreditCardType = "$_POST[creditcardselect]", NameOnCard = "$_POST[cardname]", CardNumber = "$_POST[cardnumber]",
		    SecurityCode = "$_POST[securitycode]", ExpiryDate = "$_POST[expirydate]", ExpiryYear = "$_POST[expiryyear]",
			Issuingbank = "$_POST[issuingbank]", ServicePhone = "$_POST[servicephone]",
			BillingAddress = "$_POST[billingaddress]", City = "$_POST[city]" WHERE GuestFirstName = $_POST[guestfirstname]"; 
		
	mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
	echo "Your Reservation has been updated!";
	header("Location : promo booking form3.php");
?>

**code green** · Apr 8 '10, 12:18 PM

You have multiple quotes in the same string which is gibberish.
Wrap the whole string in double quotes and values inside with single quotes.

Before you do that extract the $_POST array into variables.

**qila** · Apr 8 '10, 03:41 PM

ermmm..
how??
can u xplain it to me..
i'm very new to learn about this.....

**code green** · Apr 8 '10, 04:34 PM

OK. Study the string variable

Code:

$sql = "UPDATE Promo_Booking SET GuestFirstName = "$_POST[guestfirstname]", 
GuestLastName = "$_POST[guestlastname]", .....

The string is opened with double quotes; fine, but then closes at the next double quote GuestFirstName = " <<<<.
As far as the parser is concerned, this string has now finished but there is no semi-colon to close the line or a dot to concatenate the string so an error is thrown.
You need $_POST[guestfirstname] wrapped in single quotes, but guestfirstname also needs to be in single quotes because it is an array key. (I think leaving the array key quotes of only produces a notice)
All array elements inside a string need braces {} to be parsed.
So string should be

Code:

$sql = "UPDATE Promo_Booking 
SET GuestFirstName = '{$_POST['guestfirstname']}', 
GuestLastName = '{$_POST['guestlastname']}', .....

But entering $_POST data into a database without validation is bad practice, so always read and validate $_POST array into variables

Code:

$guestfirst = mysql_real_escape_string(striptags($_POST['guestfirstname']));
$sql = "UPDATE Promo_Booking 
SET GuestFirstName = $guestfirst .....

**Atli** · Apr 8 '10, 07:20 PM

To reinforce code green's point about the quotes:
[code=php]<?php
// This is how we fetch data from a form or the URL.
$data = mysql_real_esca pe_string($_POS T['data']);

// And this is how it is put into a string:
$str = "The data is: {$data}";

// If it is supposed to be quoted inside the string
// you need to do either:
$str = "The data is: \"{$data}\". ";
// Or:
$str = 'The data is: "' . $data . '".';

// It should NOT be like your strings are:
$str = "The data is "$data".";
// This causes your error.
// (How is PHP supposed to know which quote is a
// part of the string and which quote closes the string?)
?>[/code]

Originally posted by code green

You need $_POST[guestfirstname] wrapped in single quotes, but guestfirstname also needs to be in single quotes because it is an array key. (I think leaving the array key quotes of only produces a notice)

This is true, except for one case. To make it easier to use arrays inside strings, you are allowed to omit the quote marks when using an array inside a string (without the curly-brackets).
[code=php]<?php
$array = array("hello" => "world");

// This is OK
$str = "Hello: $array[hello]";

// But this produces the notice
$world = $array[hello];
?>[/code]

However, this is generally considered to be a bad thing to do. The method is very limited and causes problems when dealing with more complex arrays. You are better of using the curly-bracket method you were talking about
[code=php]$str = "Hello: {$array['hello']}";[/code]

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE

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