"Cannot pass parameter 2 by reference" Error in PHP

Question

When I run this code for updating my likedOne column and making it empty ("")....

    $sql11 = $conn->prepare("UPDATE UserData SET likedOne=? WHERE username=?");
    $sql11->bind_param('ss',"",$Username);
    $Username = "netsgets";
    $sql11->execute();

I get this error....

1 Fatal error: Cannot pass parameter 2 by reference in /xxx/xxx/xxx/test.php on line 36.

The line is....

$sql11->bind_param('ss',"",$Username);

What's wrong?

The error message clearly states that the second parameter (`""`) cannot be passed by reference. Only variables can be passed by reference, so you should create a variable, and pass it as the second parameter instead. — Ruslan Osmanov, Sep 13 '17 at 02:19

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 13 '17 at 02:24

12

You need to use a variable , bind_param takes only variable not values directly.

   $likedone ="";
   $sql11->bind_param('ss',$likedone,$Username);

answered Sep 13 '17 at 02:24

Niklesh Raut

34,013
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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 13 '17 at 02:16

bind_param(...) expects its param parameters as references. See. That means it might change them (e.g. when they refer to a result of the query). Whenever you pass something as a reference you have to give it a name (sloppy rule of thumb, but makes it easier to explain). In a way this just tells PHP that you care about the potential modification (again simplified). You can use $emptyString = ""; $sql11->bind_param('ss',$emptyString ,$Username);

Adeojo Emmanuel IMM · Answer 3 · 2018-04-23T23:27:58.053

-2

sorry for my previous answers

you could fix it up by changing

 $sql11->bind_param('ss',"",$Username);

to

$variable ="";
$sql11->bind_param('ss',$variable,$Username);

because bind_param works better with variables

edited Apr 23 '18 at 23:27

answered Sep 13 '17 at 02:06

Adeojo Emmanuel IMM

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that doesn't work – Sep 13 '17 at 02:10
i just edited my answer – Adeojo Emmanuel IMM Sep 13 '17 at 02:14
Nope. Still not working – Sep 13 '17 at 02:16
OP is only binding to two "strings", so adding another `s` will not change anything – Carl Binalla Sep 13 '17 at 02:32

"Cannot pass parameter 2 by reference" Error in PHP

3 Answers3