SQL syntax errors when using php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];

Question

I'm trying to submit a page onto itself by using php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; but keep receiving the following 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 '' at line 1....

There are different forms on the page and I am having the same problem with all of them.

What could be the source of the problem?

    <?php
require_once('Connections/speedycms.php'); 
$client_id = mysql_real_escape_string($_GET['id']); 

if (!isset($_SESSION)) {
  session_start();
}
$MM_authorizedUsers = "";
$MM_donotCheckaccess = "true";

// *** Restrict Access To Page: Grant or deny access to this page
function isAuthorized($strUsers, $strGroups, $UserName, $UserGroup) { 
  // For security, start by assuming the visitor is NOT authorized. 
  $isValid = False; 

  // When a visitor has logged into this site, the Session variable MM_Username set equal to their username. 
  // Therefore, we know that a user is NOT logged in if that Session variable is blank. 
  if (!empty($UserName)) { 
    // Besides being logged in, you may restrict access to only certain users based on an ID established when they login. 
    // Parse the strings into arrays. 
    $arrUsers = Explode(",", $strUsers); 
    $arrGroups = Explode(",", $strGroups); 
    if (in_array($UserName, $arrUsers)) { 
      $isValid = true; 
    } 
    // Or, you may restrict access to only certain users based on their username. 
    if (in_array($UserGroup, $arrGroups)) { 
      $isValid = true; 
    } 
    if (($strUsers == "") && true) { 
      $isValid = true; 
    } 
  } 
  return $isValid; 
}

$MM_restrictGoTo = "login.php";
if (!((isset($_SESSION['MM_Username'])) && (isAuthorized("",$MM_authorizedUsers, $_SESSION['MM_Username'], $_SESSION['MM_UserGroup'])))) {   
  $MM_qsChar = "?";
  $MM_referrer = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];
  if (strpos($MM_restrictGoTo, "?")) $MM_qsChar = "&";
  if (isset($QUERY_STRING) && strlen($QUERY_STRING) > 0) 
  $MM_referrer .= "?" . $QUERY_STRING;
  $MM_restrictGoTo = $MM_restrictGoTo. $MM_qsChar . "accesscheck=" . urlencode($MM_referrer);
  header("Location: ". $MM_restrictGoTo); 
  exit;
}

if (!function_exists("GetSQLValueString")) {
function GetSQLValueString($theValue, $theType, $theDefinedValue = "", $theNotDefinedValue = "") 
{
  if (PHP_VERSION < 6) {
    $theValue = get_magic_quotes_gpc() ? stripslashes($theValue) : $theValue;
  }

  $theValue = function_exists("mysql_real_escape_string") ? mysql_real_escape_string($theValue) : mysql_escape_string($theValue);

  switch ($theType) {
    case "text":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? "'" . $theValue . "'" : "NULL";
      break;    
    case "long":
    case "int":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? intval($theValue) : "NULL";
      break;
    case "double":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? doubleval($theValue) : "NULL";
      break;
    case "date":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? "'" . $theValue . "'" : "NULL";
      break;
    case "defined":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? $theDefinedValue : $theNotDefinedValue;
      break;
  }
  return $theValue;
}
}

mysql_select_db($database_speedycms, $speedycms);
$query_caseStatus = "SELECT progress FROM tbl_accident WHERE id=$client_id";
$caseStatus = mysql_query($query_caseStatus, $speedycms) or die(mysql_error());
$row_caseStatus = mysql_fetch_assoc($caseStatus);
$totalRows_caseStatus = mysql_num_rows($caseStatus);

mysql_select_db($database_speedycms, $speedycms);
$query_retrieveSolicitor = "SELECT * FROM tbl_solicitors";
$retrieveSolicitor = mysql_query($query_retrieveSolicitor, $speedycms) or die(mysql_error());
$row_retrieveSolicitor = mysql_fetch_assoc($retrieveSolicitor);
$totalRows_retrieveSolicitor = mysql_num_rows($retrieveSolicitor);

mysql_select_db($database_speedycms, $speedycms);
$query_currentSolicitor = "SELECT currentSolicitor FROM tbl_accident WHERE id=$client_id";
$currentSolicitor = mysql_query($query_currentSolicitor, $speedycms) or die(mysql_error());
$row_currentSolicitor = mysql_fetch_assoc($currentSolicitor);
$totalRows_currentSolicitor = mysql_num_rows($currentSolicitor);
?>

Answer 1

Are you sure that the problem is when u are using "php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']" ? The error thrown is an SQL Syntax error, and nothing to do with calling php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'].

The fact the error says "at line 1" is pretty useless as it means on line one of the SQL Syntax, not a particular page, so doesnt really point you at where the query is called.

Answer 2

Your problem isn't the PHP_SELF. You're getting the error you get because one of teh SQL statments you're creating isn't valid SQL, so the MySQL server rejects it.

Look for each of your lines

mysql_query($query_someQuery, $speedycms)

Before each of these lines, add a statment something like

echo $query_someQuery, "<br />","\n";
mysql_query($query_someQuery, $speedycms)

where $query_someQuery is the actual variable you used. Then run your script/load your page and examine the SQL. It will have a syntax error in it (be sure to view source if a browser to see what's actually being returned).

Once you determine the syntax error, trace your code and figure out why it's generating incorrect SQL.

Answer 3

If you are using the client_id taken from the outside, you should enclose it into the single quotes, even if it's escaped and supposed to be an integer:

SELECT progress FROM tbl_accident WHERE id='$client_id'

For instance, if the script passes the empty client_id, this query turns into:

 SELECT progress FROM tbl_accident WHERE id=

, which is an invalid SQL and results in the same 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 '' at line 1

, which you can easily reproduce with any query tool.

Answer 4

Try echoing $client_id after this part:

 $client_id = mysql_real_escape_string($_GET['id']); 

You're using it in your queries later, and it might be generating the SQL error if its blank or invalid.