# Issue building an SQL string with sprintf

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/issue-building-an-sql-string-with-sprintf/258189>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 21, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/issue-building-an-sql-string-with-sprintf/258189 "2008-04-21T19:34:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JoshuaJonah](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/joshuajonah/32/1775_2.png) [@JoshuaJonah](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/JoshuaJonah)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/issue-building-an-sql-string-with-sprintf/258189/1 "2008-04-21T19:34:52Z")

</div>

I’m having an issue with trying to build a dynamic SQL string with sprintf.

Keeps giving me the error:

```auto
**Warning** : sprintf() [[function.sprintf](http://localhost/retailersform/includes/function.sprintf)]: Too few arguments in **/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/retailersform/includes/submitsurvey.php** on line **22

```

\*\*

I have tried every darn combination, but i really would like to use sprintf. Here’s some code, it’s pretty straight forward:

```php
<?php

if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
    $error = array();
    $count = 0;
    $insert_fields = "";
    $insert_placeholders = "";
    $insert_safe_values = "";
    include ('safeSQL.php');
    foreach ($_POST as $key => $value) {
        $insert_fields .= "`".$key."` ,";
        $insert_placeholders .= "%s,";
        $insert_safe_values .= "'".safeSQL($_POST[$key], 'text')."',";
           if($value == "" && $count < 9){
            array_push($error, $key);
        }
        $count++;
    }

    $insert_safe_values = rtrim($insert_safe_values, ",");
    
    $query_brands = sprintf("INSERT INTO `retailersform`.`retailers` ($insert_fields `dateadded` ,`approved`) VALUES ($insert_placeholders NOW() ,'0');", $insert_safe_values);
    echo $query_brands;
    
    //if(count($error) < 1){
        //include('includes/rmg.php'); 
        
        //mysql_select_db($database_rmg, $rmg);
        
        //$grab_brands = mysql_query($query_brands, $rmg) or die(mysql_error());
    //}
}

?>

```