# Php problem : checking value exists agains DB

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/php-problem-checking-value-exists-agains-db/220435>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [March 26, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/php-problem-checking-value-exists-agains-db/220435 "2007-03-26T12:43:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![opel](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/opel/32/199_2.png) [@opel](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/opel)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/php-problem-checking-value-exists-agains-db/220435/1 "2007-03-26T12:43:12Z")

</div>

I am trying to set up an input form that has a bit of validation on it. MY form inserts and displays a message when nothing is entered into the input.

However, I am trying to create a piece of code that quieries the database to see if the value already exisits. After testing I think the problem is MySQL statement but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, can anyone make any suggestions please?

Here is my statement :

```php
 $queryName = mysql_query("SELECT name FROM brands WHERE name = LIKE'".$_POST['name']."'");

```

The full script :

```php
	
	<h1>Add a <? echo $page ; ?></h1>
	<? echo $addMessage; ?>
	
	<form action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."?".$_SERVER['QUERY_STRING']; ?>" name="add" method="post">
	
	<input type="text" class="input" name="name" />
	<input name="Submit" type="submit" class="button" value="Add a <? echo $page; ?>" />
	</form>
	
	<? echo $back ; ?>
	<?
	// display add form
	
	}
	 
	elseif(!$_POST['name']) { 
            echo "<p class=\"errorMessage\">You must enter a $page into the input field...<a href=\"".$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."\">try again.</a> !</p>"; 
   
        } 
		
	
 elseif($_POST['name']) {
	
	//SQL query
	 $queryName = mysql_query("SELECT name FROM brands WHERE name = LIKE'".$_POST['name']."'");
	 echo $queryName;
	
	if ($RESULT = mysql_fetch_array($queryName)){
	echo "The value $queryName already exists in this system, please enter another <a href=\"".$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."\">check the list and add another value.</a>";
			}	
	 
	 else { //add form is being sent
	 
   //Insert the values into the correct database with the right fields
   $result=MYSQL_QUERY("INSERT INTO `brands` (`name`)".
      "VALUES ('".strip_tags($_POST['name'])."')"); 

	echo "<p class=\"add\">You successfully added a brand...<a href=\"".$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']."\">go back to the list.</a>";// in php you escape " characters with the backslash, 
	
	}	
}

```