Adding multiple entries to a table

I am trying to register customers for a continuing education web site I am creating and need to add multiple entries to the phpMyAdmin table “users” for registration purposes. I am trying to add multiple entries, 25 total.

As you will see, I have tried the mysqli_multi_query() function to add them all but I cannot create a new record of those entries.

It shows that I am connected to the database and I have checked all values in the code with those in the table and they are ordered. So my questions are:

• Is there a limit of entries per table?
• Is it best to add few entries at a time than a sign-in page with multiple lines?
• Am I trying to do too much in one file and need to split my job?

Error I am getting:

You are connected to the database. Error: INSERT INTO users (myName, home1, home2) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (city, ste, zip) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (email, certification, experience) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (employer, marketing, gender) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (dob, recert, full_name) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (phone, bHome1, bHome2) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (bCity, bState, bZip) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (payment, cardNum, expDate) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (pwd) VALUES (?);
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 '?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (city, ste, zip) VALUES (?, ?, ?);INSERT INTO users (' at line 1

The code so far validates all entries, checks if there are blank entries, and uses the function test-input. Any help is appreciated, including sources from where to learn PHP that worked better for your education. Thanks in advance and thank you for listening.

<?php
// Defined variables for validation
$myNameErr = $home1Err = $home2Err =$cityErr = $steErr = $zipErr = $emailErr = "";
$certificationErr = $experienceErr = $employerErr = $marketingErr = "";
$genderErr = $dobErr = $recertErr = $full_nameErr = $phoneErr = $bHome1Err = ""; 
$bHome2Err = $bCityErr = $bStateErr = $bZipErr = $paymentErr = $cardNumErr = "";
$expDateErr = $pwdErr = $pwd2Err = "";
$myName = $home1 = $home2 = $city = $ste = $zip = $email = "";
$certification = $experience = $employer = $marketing = "";
$gender = $dob = $recert = $full_name = $phone = $bHome1 = ""; 
$bHome2 = $bCity = $bState = $bZip = $payment = $cardNum = "";
$expDate = $pwd = $pwd2 = "";

// Validating fields by checking if fields are empty
if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
    // Checks full name
    if (empty($_POST['myName'])) {
        $myNameErr = "Name required.";
    } else {
        $myName = test_input($_POST['myName']);
        // check if name only contains letters and whitespace
        if (!preg_match("/^[a-zA-Z-' -.]*$/", $myName)) {
            $myNameErr = "Only letters and white space allowed";
        }
    }
    // Checks address
    if (empty($_POST['home1'])) {
        $home1Err = "Address required.";
    } else {
        $home1 = test_input($_POST['home1']);
    }
    // Checks additional address input
    if (empty($_POST['home2'])) {
        $home2 = test_input($_POST['home2']);
    }
    // Checks for city
    if (empty($_POST['city'])) {
        $cityErr = "City is required.";
    } else {
        $city = test_input($_POST['city']);
    }
    // Checks for state
    if (empty($_POST['ste'])) {
        $steErr = "State is required.";
    } else {
        $ste = test_input($_POST['ste']);
    }
    // Checks for zipcode
    if (empty($_POST['zip'])) {
        $zipErr = "Zip code is required.";
    } else {
        $zip = test_input($_POST['zip']);
    }
    // Checks for email and if format is correct
    if (empty($_POST['email'])) {
        $emailErr = "Email is required.";
    } else {
        $email = test_input($_POST['email']);
        // check if e-mail address is well-formed
        if (!filter_var($email, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
            $emailErr = "Invalid email format";
        }
    }
    // Confirms the current email
    if (empty($_POST['email2'])) {
        $email2Err = "Confirm your email.";
    } else {
        $email2 = test_input($_POST['email2']);
        // check if e-mail address is well-formed
        if (!filter_var($email, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
            $email2Err = "Invalid email format";
        }
        // Check if emails match
        if ($email != $email2) {
            $email2Err = "Emails don't match!";
        }
    }
    // Checks for modality certification
    if (empty($_POST['certification'])) {
        $certificationErr = "Current certification is required.";
    } else {
        $certification = test_input($_POST['certification']);
    }
    // Checks for years of experience
    if (empty($_POST['experience'])) {
        $experienceErr = "Years of experience are required.";
    } else {
        $experience = test_input($_POST['experience']);
    }
    // Checks for the current employer
    if (empty($_POST['employer'])) {
        $employerErr = "Current employer required.";
    } else {
        $employer = test_input($_POST['employer']);
    }
    // Input about how they heard about us
    if (empty($_POST['marketing'])) {
        $marketing = "";
    } else {
        $marketing = test_input($_POST['marketing']);
    }
    // Checks for gender
    if (empty($_POST['gender'])) {
        $genderErr = "Gender required.";
    } else {
        $gender = test_input($_POST['gender']);
    }
    // Check the date of birth
    if (empty($_POST['dob'])) {
        $dobErr = "Date of birth required.";
    } else {
        $dob = test_input($_POST['dob']);
    }
    // Checks their end of certification date
    if (empty($_POST['recert'])) {
        $recertErr = "Recertification date required.";
    } else {
        $recert = test_input($_POST['recert']);
    }
    // Checks name as in credit card
    if (empty($_POST['full_name'])) {
        $full_nameErr = "Name as written in credit card required.";
    } else {
        $full_name = test_input($_POST['full_name']);
    }
    // Checks for phone number
    if (empty($_POST['phone'])) {
        $phoneErr = "Phone number is required.";
    } else {
        $phone = test_input($_POST['phone']);
    }
    // Billing Information
    // Checks for billing address
    if (empty($_POST['bHome1'])) {
        $bHome1 = "";
    } else {
        $bHome1 = test_input($_POST['bHome1']);
    }
    // Checks for billing address 2
    if (empty($_POST['bHome2'])) {
        $bHome2 = "";
    } else {
        $bHome2 = test_input($_POST['bHome2']);
    }
    // Checks for billing city
    if (empty($_POST['bCity'])) {
        $bCity = "";
    } else {
        $bCity = test_input($_POST['bCity']);
    }
    // Checks for billing state
    if (empty($_POST['bState'])) {
        $bState = "";
    } else {
        $bState = test_input($_POST['bState']);
    }
    // Checks for billing zip code
    if (empty($_POST['bZip'])) {
        $bZip = "";
    } else {
        $bZip = test_input($_POST['bZip']);
    }
    // Checks for payment mode
    if (empty($_POST['payment'])) {
        $paymentErr = "Mode of payment is required.";
    } else {
        $payment = test_input($_POST['payment']);
    }
    // Checks for credit card number
    if (empty($_POST['cardNum'])) {
        $cardNumErr = "Credit card number required.";
    } else {
        $cardNum = test_input($_POST['cardNum']);
    }
    // Checks for expiration date
    if (empty($_POST['expDate'])) {
        $expDateErr = "Card's expiration date required.";
    } else {
        $expDate = test_input($_POST['expDate']);
    }
    // Checks for password
    if (empty($_POST['pwd'])) {
        $pwdErr = "Password required.";
    } else {
        $pwd = test_input($_POST['pwd']);
    }
    // Asks to confirm password and if both match
    if (empty($_POST['pwd2'])) {
        $pwd2Err = "Confirm your email.";
    } else {
        $pwd2 = test_input($_POST['pwd2']);
        // Check if passwords match
        if ($pwd != $pwd2) {
            $pwd2Err = "Passwords don't match!";
        }
    }
}

function test_input($data) {
    $data = trim($data);
    $data = stripslashes($data);
    $data = htmlspecialchars($data);
    return $data;
} 

if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
    $myName = $_POST['myName'];
    $home1 = $_POST['home1'];
    $home2 = $_POST['home2'];
    $city = $_POST['city'];
    $ste = $_POST['ste'];
    $zip = $_POST['zip'];
    $email = $_POST['email'];
    $certification = $_POST['certification'];
    $experience = $_POST['experience'];
    $employer = $_POST['employer'];
    $marketing = $_POST['marketing'];
    $gender = $_POST['gender'];
    $dob = $_POST['dob'];
    $recert = $_POST['recert'];
    $full_name = $_POST['full_name'];
    $phone = $_POST['phone'];
    $bHome1 = $_POST['bHome1'];
    $bHome2 = $_POST['bHome2'];
    $bCity = $_POST['bCity'];
    $bState = $_POST['bState'];
    $bZip = $_POST['bZip'];
    $payment = $_POST['payment'];
    $cardNum = $_POST['cardNum'];
    $expDate = $_POST['expDate'];
    $pwd = $_POST['pwd'];

    // Adding multiple values to database table users
    $sql = "INSERT INTO TABLE users (myName, home1, home2) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (city, ste, zip) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (email, certification, experience) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (employer, marketing, gender) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (dob, recert, full_name) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (phone, bHome1, bHome2) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (bCity, bState, bZip) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (payment, cardNum, expDate) VALUES (?, ?, ?);";
    $sql .= "INSERT INTO TABLE users (pwd) VALUES (?);";

    // Trying to save to the database
    if (mysqli_multi_query($con, $sql)) {
        echo "New records created successfully";
    } else {
        echo "Error: " . $sql . "<br>" . mysqli_error($con);
    }


    $hashPwd = password_hash($pwd, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

    $stmt->bind_param("sssssssssssssssssssssssss", $myName, $home1, $home2, $city, $ste, $zip, 
        $email, $certification, $experience, $employer, $marketing, $gender, $dob, $recert, 
        $full_name, $phone, $bHome1, $bHome2, $bCity, $bState, $bZip, $payment, $cardNum,
        $expDate, $hashPwd); 
      
    mysqli_close($con);
}

Answer

You need to prepare your sql, bind the params and then execute. Forget the mysqli functions.

 $sql = "INSERT INTO TABLE users (myName, home1, home2, city, ste, zip,   email, employer, marketing, gender, certification, experience, dob, recert, full_name, phone, bHome1, bHome2, bCity, bState, bZip, payment, cardNum, expDate, pwd) VALUES (?, ?, ?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?);";

 $stmt = $con->prepare($sql);
    
 $hashPwd = password_hash($pwd, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);
    
 $stmt->bind_param("sssssssssssssssssssssssss", $myName, $home1, $home2, $city, $ste, $zip, 
            $email, $certification, $experience, $employer, $marketing, $gender, $dob, $recert, 
            $full_name, $phone, $bHome1, $bHome2, $bCity, $bState, $bZip, $payment, $cardNum,
            $expDate, $hashPwd); 

 $stmt->execute();
      
 mysqli_close($con);

You’re getting that error because mysql doesn’t know what ? is. You are litterally try to execute INSERT INTO users (city, ste, zip) VALUES (?, ?, ?); which is not valid sql. The variables have to be converted first.

Also, this might be a little advanced for you but you can definitely refactor a lot of redundant code out of this… Just practice and you’ll get it!

Here’s a rough in of what I’m talking about

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] != "POST") { 
    //Better to exit on smaller if then wrap everything in if statement.
    die();
}

$list = [
    'myName' => [ 'type' => 's', 'value' => '', 'err' => 'Name required.'],
    'home1' => [ 'type' => 's', 'value' => '', 'err' => 'Address required.'],
    'home2' => [ 'type' => 's', 'value' => '', 'err' => '']
    // Complete all your entries
];

$hasErr = false;
foreach($list as $key => &$item){
    if (empty($_POST[$key])) {
        $item['value'] = $item['err'];
    } else {
        $hasErr = true;
        $item['value'] = test_input($_POST[$key]);
        switch($key){
            case'myName':
                if (!preg_match("/^[a-zA-Z-' -.]*$/", $item['value'])) {
                    $item['value'] = "Only letters and white space allowed";
                }
                break;
            // Add more casses for more special proccessing.
        }
    }
}
unset($item); //Always unset pointers after loop.

if(!$hasErr){
    $sql = "INSERT INTO users(";
    $sqlCols = [];
    $sqlVals = [];

    foreach($list as $key => $item){
        $sqlCols[] = $key;
        $sqlVals[] = "?";
    }
    $sql .= implode(",", $sqlCols) . ") values ( " . implode(",", $sqlVals ). " )";
    $stmt->prepare($sql);
    foreach($list as $key => $item){
        // Actually not sure this is possible, worth a shot though.
        $stmt->pind_param($item['type'], $item['value']);
    }
    $stm->execute();
} else{
    //Handle error
}