how to insert multiple rows from MySQL with checkbox?

MYSQL statement question.

• Assuming a mysql table --> 'contacts'. With rows --> 'firstname', 'lastname', 'age', 'location'. Example: CREATE TABLE (contacts contact_id int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT; firstname varchar(50); lastname varchar(50); age varchar (5); location text; PRIMARY KEY (contact_id) ); How do you insert data into all rows using one mysql statement? Example of what needs done. INSERT INTO contacts (firstname, lastname, age, location) VALUES (Jim, Smith, 50, Ohio), (John, Jones, 45, Kansas), (Mary, Johnson, 30, Iowa), (Helen, Thompson, 25, Texas) ......etc etc. How is this accomplished? What is the code needed to loop through the database and insert the values. FYI ~ actual database has many more columns and has nothing to do with contact information :)

• Answer:

  Hello whirlco, The quick answer is - you wouldn't do this with one insert command. You would need to create an insert statement for each record, and the resulting set of instructions can be considered as one sql statement. I shortened the table row names so you can view the code on one line. INSERT INTO contacts VALUES(na,lna,a,lo) VALUES ('Jim','Smith','50','Ohio'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES(na,lna,a,lo) VALUES ('Tim','Jones','22','Alaska'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES(na,lna,a,lo) VALUES ('Ron','Wales','95','Maine'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES(na,lna,a,lo) VALUES ('Pat','Donut','18','Iowa'); You would keep going until you were done. Of further note, if you are inserting a value (even if it is null) for each field that you have, you can lose the initial values assignment, as the data falls into place on it's own. Example: INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Jim','Smith','50','Ohio'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Tim','Jones','22','Alaska'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Ron','Wales','95','Maine'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Pat','Donut','18','Iowa'); Null fields can be defined by simply using empty quotes. Example: INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('','Smith','50','Ohio'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Tim','','22','Alaska'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Ron','Wales','','Maine'); INSERT INTO contacts VALUES ('Pat','Donut','18',''); I really didn't use a search strategy to find this answer, as I run a few websites with PHP/Mysql backends. There are many good reference sites, and this page at the Mysql site is a good read: http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/Loading_tables.html It makes mention of the LOAD DATA statement, which really, to me makes for just as much, if not more work on our ends. The industry standard is exactly what you see above :-) I hope this answers your question. Should you need clarification, please ask before rating this answer, as I would love to offer more assistance. Thanks for the question! SgtCory