PHP/MYSQL Update query not working

Question

Can anyone tell my why this update query is not working? ``` if ($_GET['update']) { include 'config.php'; //Connect to MYSQL Database server $connect = mysql_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASS) or die("Could not connect to MYSQL Database."); $result = mysql_select_db(DB_NAME, $connect) or die("Could not connect to MYSQL table."); mysql_query("UPDATE contact SET read = 1 WHERE id = '$_GET[update]'")or die("Query failed."); echo "Update works!"; } else { echo "Update does not work...ughh."; } ``` Thank you in advance. Edit: I got the query to work. For anyone who was worrying about the security, I was using this script as a test to see if I wanted to use it. I just added the security now that the script works. Thank you all for the help and tips.

Accepted Answer

What is column read?

```
mysql_query("UPDATE contact SET read = 1 WHERE id = '$_GET[update]'")
```

Judging by the non-capitalization of read, I suspect you are using a reserved word in MySQL for that column.

See:

Reserved Words in MySQL

To Get around this, just put a single quote around read. I.E.

```
mysql_query("UPDATE contact SET 'read' = 1 WHERE id = '$_GET[update]'")
```

Or better per j.bruni:

```
mysql_query("UPDATE contact SET `read` = 1 WHERE id = '$_GET[update]'")
```

PHP/MYSQL Update query not working

Solution

Problem