Passing an array to a query using a WHERE clause

Question

Given an array of ids $galleries = array(1,2,5) I want to have a SQL query that uses the values of the array in its WHERE clause like:

Answer 1

You may have table texts (T_ID (int), T_TEXT (text)) and table test (id (int), var (varchar(255)))

In insert into test values (1, '1,2,3') ; the following will output rows from table texts where T_ID IN (1,2,3):

SELECT * FROM `texts` WHERE (SELECT FIND_IN_SET( T_ID, ( SELECT var FROM test WHERE id =1 ) ) AS tm) >0

This way you can manage a simple n2m database relation without an extra table and using only SQL without the need to use PHP or some other programming language.

Answer 2

Safer.

$galleries = array(1,2,5);
array_walk($galleries , 'intval');
$ids = implode(',', $galleries);
$sql = "SELECT * FROM galleries WHERE id IN ($ids)";

Answer 3

As Flavius Stef's answer, you can use intval() to make sure all id are int values:

$ids = join(',', array_map('intval', $galleries));  
$sql = "SELECT * FROM galleries WHERE id IN ($ids)";

Answer 4

Safe way without PDO:

$ids = array_filter(array_unique(array_map('intval', (array)$ids)));

if ($ids) {
    $query = 'SELECT * FROM `galleries` WHERE `id` IN ('.implode(',', $ids).');';
}

• (array)$ids Cast $ids variable to array
• array_map Transform all array values into integers
• array_unique Remove repeated values
• array_filter Remove zero values
• implode Join all values to IN selection

Answer 5

Use:

select id from galleries where id in (1, 2, 5);

A simple for each loop will work.

Flavius/AvatarKava's way is better, but make sure that none of the array values contain commas.

Answer 6

Besides using the IN query, you have two options to do so as in an IN query there is a risk of an SQL injection vulnerability. You can use looping to get the exact data you want or you can use the query with OR case

1. SELECT *
      FROM galleries WHERE id=1 or id=2 or id=5;


2. $ids = array(1, 2, 5);
   foreach ($ids as $id) {
      $data[] = SELECT *
                    FROM galleries WHERE id= $id;
   }