mysqli_real_escape_string mysqli->real_escape_string Escapes special characters in a string for use in a SQL statement, taking into account the current charset of the connection Procedural style: stringmysqli_real_escape_string objectlink stringescapestr Object oriented style (method): mysqli string real_escape_sring stringescapestr This function is used to create a legal SQL string that you can use in a SQL statement. The string escapestr is encoded to an escaped SQL string, taking into account the current character set of the connection. Characters encoded are NUL (ASCII 0), \n, \r, \, ', ", and Control-Z. Returns an escaped string. mysqli_character_set_name. query("CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE myCity LIKE City"); $city = "'s Hertogenbosch"; /* this query will fail, cause we didn't escape $city */ if (!$mysqli->query("INSERT into myCity (Name) VALUES ('$city')")) { printf("Error: %s\n", $mysqli->sqlstate); } $city = $mysqli->real_escape_string($city); /* this query with escaped $city will work */ if ($mysqli->query("INSERT into myCity (Name) VALUES ('$city')")) { printf("%d Row inserted.\n", $mysqli->affected_rows); } $mysqli->close(); ?> ]]> ]]> The above examples would produce the following output: