SQL syntax error, connection issues simple form PHP

Question

I have a simple form that inserts data in a table on my server. I have set up a special user to handle this, with insert permissions only. I'm getting connection and syntax errors.

Here's my form:

<form id="form1" name="form1" method="post" action="mailform.php" onsubmit="return validateForm();">

    <input type="text" id="First" maxlength="100" autocorrect placeholder="First name" />
    <input type="text" id="Last" maxlength="100" autocorrect placeholder="Last name" />
    <input type="text" id="Email" maxlength="100" autocorrect placeholder="Email address" />
    <select name="SalesPerson">
        <option value="SP1">SP1</option>
        <option value="SP2">SP2</option>
        <option value="SP3">SP3</option>
        </select>
    <select name="Show">
        <option value="Show1">Show1</option>
        <option value="Show2">Show2</option>
        </select>

        <button type="submit" id="submit" class="oneup">Submit</button>

</form>

and over at mailform.php we have:

<?php

    $name = "xxx_xxx";
    $name = mysql_real_escape_string($name);
    $SQL = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '$name'";

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

mysql_select_db("xxx_x", $con);

$sql="INSERT INTO email_signup (First, Last, Email, SalesPerson, Show)
VALUES
('$_POST[First]','$_POST[Last]','$_POST[Email]','$_POST[SalesPerson]','$_POST[Show]')";

if (!mysql_query($sql,$con))
  {
  die('Error: ' . mysql_error());
  }

mysql_close($con)
?>

And here's the errors -

Warning: mysql_real_escape_string() [<a href='function.mysql-real-escape-string'>function.mysql-real-escape-string</a>]: Access denied for user 'xxx'@'localhost' (using password: NO) in <b>.../mailform.php</b> on line 28

Warning: mysql_real_escape_string() [<a href='function.mysql-real-escape-string'>function.mysql-real-escape-string</a>]: A link to the server could not be established in <b>.../mailform.php</b> on line 28 Error: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'Show) VALUES ('','','','SP1','Show1')' at line 1

Any idea why I'm getting connection issues? I have an almost identical form set up in another place that works just fine.

Answer 1

Make your connection first, then run mysql_real_escape_string(), then your query. mysql_real_escape_string() actually connects to the db to let it escape your string. If you don't have a connectin it wont work

Answer 2

Try putting the connection first.

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


 $name = "xxx_xxx";
    $name = mysql_real_escape_string($name);
    $SQL = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '$name'";

Answer 3

Note: This answer does not attempt to address a major SQL injection vulnerability. For a more in-depth discussion, read the comments beneath the question.

Show is a reserved word

Use

$sql="INSERT INTO email_signup (`First`, `Last`, `Email`, `SalesPerson`, `Show`)
VALUES
('$_POST[First]','$_POST[Last]','$_POST[Email]','$_POST[SalesPerson]','$_POST[Show]')";