Insert multiple rows using a single query

Question

Can Joomla's DB object add multiple rows at once? MySQL can do this like so:

INSERT INTO x (a,b)
VALUES 
 ('1', 'one'),
 ('2', 'two'),
 ('3', 'three')

But can Joomla's own functions achieve the same thing in a single query? Currently I am doing a loop to insert each row (same table) in separate query. Not a good idea when dealing with tons of rows at once.

Lydia

How Are you inserting it in Joomla? – Farly

$this->store($data,'tablename') - using the Jtable instance – Lydia

Answer 1

In your model you can do this:

$db = $this->getDBO();
$query = "
  INSERT INTO x (a,b)
  VALUES 
  ('1', 'one'),
  ('2', 'two'),
  ('3', 'three')
";
$db->setQuery($query);
$db->query();

If you are outside your model you need to get the DB object like so:

$db = JFactory::getDBO();

Shanty

Yeah this is what I did. The problem is, I have to do two separate queries for INSERT and UPDATE. With JTable instance, it will choose automatically depending on presence of PRIMARY KEY. – Lydia

I thought you said you have to do 2 separate queries INSERT and UPDATE. Then why would JTable have to choose? Surely it would also need to do both INSERT and UPDATE as well, unless there is something you have failed to mention about what you want to do. – Shanty

Answer 2

You can use:

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true); // !important, true for every new query

$query->insert('#__table_name'); // #__table_name = databse prefix + table name
$query->set('`1`="one"');
$query->set('`2`="two"');
$query->set('`3`="three"');
/* or something like this:
$query->columns('`1`,`2`,`3`');
$query->values('"one","two","three"');
*/

$db->setQuery($query);
$db->query();

and $db->insertId() can return you autoinc id if you have one.

Rentsch

I've corrected the answer tested with $query->columns, $query->values as it was initially wrong. – Liveried

This works very well, except if you try it on 1000's of rows, then I would rather suggest Martin's solution up top for efficiency. – Nodical

Answer 3

Try this, if you have values in an array :

$query = $this->db->getQuery(true);
$query->insert($this->db->quoteName('#__table_name'));
$query->columns($this->db->quoteName(array('col_1','col_2','col_3','col_4')));

for($i=0; $i < lengthOfArray; $i++)
{
    $values= $arr_1[$i].','.$this->db->quote($arr_2[$i]).','.$this->db->quote($arr_3[$i]).','. $arr_4[$i];
    $query->values($values);
}
$this->db->setQuery($query);
$result = $this->db->query();

Restorative

Answer 4

You don't need $db = $this->getDBO();

just use this:-

$query = "
  INSERT INTO x (a,b)
  VALUES 
  ('1', 'one'),
  ('2', 'two'),
  ('3', 'three')
";

$this->_db->setQuery($query);
$this->_db->query();

Filippo

Answer 5

Try this:

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true);

$query->insert('x');
$query->columns('a,b');
$query->values('1', 'one');
$query->values('2', 'two');
$query->values('3', 'three');

$db->setQuery($query);
$db->query();

A description of "values" method

Adds a tuple, or array of tuples that would be used as values for an INSERT INTO statement.
Usage:
$query->values('1,2,3')->values('4,5,6');
$query->values(array('1,2,3', '4,5,6'));

Kelleher

Answer 6

In latest version of Joomla!, you can use it's own DB class as follows. Remember to use 'quoteName()' and 'quote()' functions as you needed.

$dbo = JFactory::getDbo();
$query = $dbo->getQuery(true);

$columns = array('col_one','col_two', 'col_three');
$values = array();

//if you need, here you can use forloop/foreach loop to populate the array
$values[] = 'val_1, val_2, val_3'; // first row values
$values[] = 'val_4, val_5, val_6'; // second row values
...

$query->insert($dbo->quoteName('#__table_name'));
$query->columns($columns);

$query->values($values);

$dbo->setQuery($query);
$dbo->query();

Hope this saves your time. Thanks. Happy coding! :)

Enlighten

Answer 7

...
$columns = array('user_id', 'type', 'object', 'lvl', 'date');
$values  = array();
foreach ($batch as $row) {
    $array    = array(
        $row->user_id,
        $db->quote($row->type),
        $db->quote($row->object),
        $db->quote($row->lvl),
        $db->quote($row->date),
    );
    $values[] = implode(',', $array);
}
$query->insert($db->quoteName('#activity_log'));
$query->columns($db->quoteName($columns));
$query->values($values);

$db->setQuery($query);
$result = $db->execute();

Jer