How to escape quotes when inserting into database

Question

I'm quite new to PHP so sorry if sounds such an easy problem... :)

I'm having an error message when inserting content which contains quotes into my db. here's what I tried trying to escape the quotes but didn't work:

$con = mysql_connect("localhost","xxxx","xxxxx");
if (!$con)
  {
  die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
  }

mysql_select_db("test", $con);

$nowdate = date('d-m-Y')

$title =  sprintf($_POST[title], mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[title]));

$body = sprintf($_POST[body], mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[body]));

$sql="INSERT INTO articles (title, body, date) VALUES ('$title','$body','$nowdate'),";

if (!mysql_query($sql,$con))
  {

die('Error: ' . mysql_error());

}

header('Location: index.php');

Could you provide any solution please?

Thanks in advance.

Mauro

Answer 1

Please start using prepared parameterized statements. They remove the need for any SQL escaping woes and close the SQL injection loophole that string-concatenated SQL statements leave open. Plus they are much more pleasing to work with and much faster when used in a loop.

$con  = new mysqli("localhost", "u", "p", "test");
if (mysqli_connect_errno()) die(mysqli_connect_error());

$sql  = "INSERT INTO articles (title, body, date) VALUES (?, ?, NOW())";
$stmt = $con->prepare($sql);
$ok   = $stmt->bind_param("ss", $_POST[title], $_POST[body]);

if ($ok && $stmt->execute())
  header('Location: index.php');
else
  die('Error: '.$con->error);

Answer 2

With any database query, especially inserts from a web based application, you should really be using parameters. See here for PHP help on how to use parameters in your queries: PHP parameters

This will help to prevent SQL injection attacks as well as prevent you from having to escape characters.

Answer 3

it should work without the sprintf stuff

$title = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[title]);
$body = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[body]);

Answer 4

Your code

$sql="INSERT INTO articles (title, body, date) VALUES ('$title','$body','$nowdate'),";

should be as follows

$sql="INSERT INTO articles (title, body, date) VALUES ('$title','$body','$nowdate')";

comma should not be there at the end of query