Zend_Db Question... updating an incrementor

Question

Should this work? (increment the login count?)

// update the login count
$data = array(
   'logins' => 'logins + 1'
);

$n = $db->update('users', $data, 'user_id = '.$_userId);    

Answer 1

$data = array(
   'logins' => new Zend_Db_Expr('logins + 1')
);

Also use quoting so you aren't as vulnerable to SQL injection:

$n = $db->update('users', $data, $db->quoteInto('user_id = ?', $_userId));

---

Re comment: Yes, in the case of the update() method, it assumes you're sending a literal value unless you use an object of type Zend_Db_Expr. You can test this yourself:

$db->getProfiler()->setEnabled(true);
$n = $db->update('users', $data, $db->quoteInto('user_id = ?', $_userId));
$qp = $db->getProfiler()->getLastQueryProfile();
echo $qp->getQuery() . "\n";

Any literal value you give in your $data array is parameterized so the query ends up looking like this:

UPDATE `users` SET `login` = ? WHERE user_id = 123

If you use an object of class Zend_Db_Expr, it knows to interpolate the string literally into the query, instead of parameterizing:

UPDATE `users` SET `login` = NOW() WHERE user_id = 123

Note that when you interpolate expressions like this, you are responsible for validation so you don't get security vulnerabilities.