Php Sql Update

I'm just creating a basic interface for a MySQL database - the form brings up the customer details from $_GET (for example: customer.php?id=12). All the customer details are populated into INPUT fields.

Ideally what I want is for the update query to be run upon form submission and only the fields that have been edited get updated in the database. Is this possible?

 

run a query to get all the sql data into php var's. Then compare those var's with the $_post vars. Create your sql then update statement if it has been changed.

if($var != $_post['blah'] { $var = clean($_post['blah']); $sqlquery = "`blah` = '$var',"; }
//need to remove the left most comma
mysql_query("update `table` SET $sqlquery where `id` = $id");

Something like the top portion, except with all the var's. Plus you have to not have the last var with a comma. So, before doing the update statement then remove the most left comma. There might be a better way of doing it, but this is the quick and simple way of doing what you asked about.

 

I would make an array with the fields, and loop trough to create the sql-query. Possibly even put the query pieces in an array and use implode() to create the , between the fields.

 

Don't compare the variables to the current database fields, it's a wasted call to the DB and makes things more complicated than they need to be. Use a hidden field called "Action" or something similar in the form that your script can check to see if the request is to read the data or to update the data.

<form method="post" action="customer.php?ID=<?php echo $ID; ?>">
<input type="hidden" name="Action" value="Update"/>
<!-- Your Form Here -->
</form>

HTML:

if ($_POST['Action'] == 'Update') {
// Database UPDATE Code Here
}
else {
// Database SELECT code here
}

PHP: