PHP/MYSQL - in an insert statement, can a column name be a vairable ($x)?

Question

like if i have a table with 2 columns (red, blue) and if the user selects in a dropdown menu blue can i write "Insert into colors $blue = 'true'"

Answer 1

Yes, variable replacement in strings is done before the SQL query. So the SQL server will only see the final string; it won't know there was ever a variable in there.

I'm assuming you know that particular line of SQL won't work. And for clarity sake, you should name the variable $color or something that makes sense regardless of the user's choice. Maybe I'm just reading too much into your example...

Answer 2

yes you can use variables in a php mysql statement.

Answer 3

Do it this way:
$sql = 'INSERT INTO `tablename` ( ` ' . $varname . ' ` )';
$sql .= ' VALUES (" ' . $varvalue . ' " ) ';
mysql_query($sql) or die("Query failed : " . mysql_error());

Note the ` (reverse of ´ ). Spaces added for clarity.

Answer 4

$query='insert into my_table values (red, blue) values ("'.$blue.'", "")';