When you are working with records in a database using Microsoft Active Server Pages
(ASP) for Internet Information Services (IIS), errors may occur when the text has
not been properly formatted for creating a SQL Server clause.
For example, when you create an ASP page to store information posted from an HTML
form to a database, you may see an error message similar to the following:
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers (0x80040E14)
[Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access Driver] Syntax error (missing operator) in query expression '<SQL Text>'.
/<path>/<filename.asp>, line <nnn>
The error message above occurs when you try to submit a name with an
apostrophe, (for example "O'Malley"), and then insert that name into a SQL Server clause without
first "escaping" it. This can result in a SQL Server clause that resembles the
following:
INSERT INTO Table (txtName VALUES ('O'Malley')
Because SQL Server uses the apostrophe as a text delimiter, the apostrophe in the name
inadvertently signifies an end to the data, which causes the error message to occur. This text
can be "escaped" by using two apostrophes, for example:
INSERT INTO Table (txtName VALUES ('O''Malley')
Obviously, it is not ideal to mandate that all users on a
Web site enter two apostrophes for each desired apostrophe.
In addition, when text is later extracted from a database, certain formatting
characters are ignored during HTML parsing on a client (for example CR-LF, TAB,
and so on.)
An ASP solution
The following ASP code defines two functions that are designed to handle
some simple parsing of information for input/output of SQL Server data, and can easily
be expanded to incorporate more functionality:
FixForSQL() parses a string for input to SQL Server
Function FixForSQL(tmpText1)
' define a working variable
Dim tmpText2
' populate our working variable
tmpText2 = tmpText1
' compact a CR-LF sequence as CR to save space
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText1,vbCrLf,Chr(13))
' replace each apostrophe with two apostrophes
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText2,Chr(39),String(2,39))
' return the fixed string
FixForSQL = tmpText2
End Function
FixForHTML() parses a string for output to HTML
Function FixForHTML(tmpText1)
' define a working variable
Dim tmpText2
' populate our working variable
tmpText2 = tmpText1
' replace each CR with a line break tag and CR-LF
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText2,Chr(13),"<br>" & vbCrLf)
' replace each TAB character with four non-breaking space tags
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText2,Chr(9),"    ")
' return the fixed string
FixForHTML = tmpText2
End Function
Practical example - Guestbook application
The following steps demonstrate how to use the above functions to
create a simple guestbook application using ASP and a Microsoft Access
database:
Copy the following ASP code and save it to a folder in your Web site with at
least IIS script access enabled and Copy the following ASP code and save it to a folder in your Web site with at
least IIS "script" access enabled and Everyone - Change NTFS permissions:
<% @Language="VBScript" %>
<%
Option Explicit
' define our variables
Dim strMethod
Dim strURL
Dim strTitle
Dim strSQL
Dim objCN
Dim objRS
' get some environment variables
With Request
strMethod = UCase(.ServerVariables("REQUEST_METHOD"))
strTitle = UCase(.ServerVariables("SERVER_NAME")) & " Guestbook"
strURL = LCase(.ServerVariables("URL"))
End With
' open our database connection
Set objCN = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
objCN.Open "driver={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)};uid=admin;pwd=;" & _
"dbq=" & Server.MapPath(".\guestbook.mdb")
' if the request was a POST then a guest submitted
If strMethod = "POST" Then
Dim strName, strComments
' get the form data and format it
strName = FixForSQL(Request.Form("txtName"))
strComments = FixForSQL(Request.Form("txtComments"))
' build the SQL string
strSQL = "INSERT INTO tblGuestbook (txtName, txtComments)"
strSQL = strSQL & " VALUES ('" & strName & "','" & strComments & "')"
' execute the SQL
objCN.Execute(strSQL)
End If
' create a SQL string to read all guest entries
strSQL = "SELECT * FROM tblGuestbook"
Set objRS = objCN.Execute(strSQL)
%>
<html>
<head><title><%=strTitle%></title></head>
<body>
<h1><%=strTitle%></h1>
<%
' only show the guestbook when there are entries
If Not objRS.EOF Then
%>
<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Comments</th>
</tr>
<%
' loop through the database
While Not objRS.EOF
With Response
.Write "<tr>" & vbCrLf
.Write "<td>" & FixForHTML(objRS("txtName")) & "</td>" & vbCrLf
.Write "<td>" & FixForHTML(objRS("txtComments")) & "</td>" & vbCrLf
.Write "</tr>" & vbCrLf
End With
objRS.MoveNext
Wend
%>
</table>
<% End If %>
<form action="<%=strURL%>" method="POST">
<table>
<tr>
<td>Name</td>
<td><input type="text" name="txtName"><br>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Comments</td>
<td><textarea name="txtComments"></textarea><br>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><input type="submit" value="Submit Comments">
</tr>
</form>
</body>
</html>
<%
Function FixForSQL(tmpText1)
Dim tmpText2
tmpText2 = tmpText1
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText1,vbCrLf,Chr(13))
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText2,Chr(39),String(2,39))
FixForSQL = tmpText2
End Function
Function FixForHTML(tmpText1)
Dim tmpText2
tmpText2 = tmpText1
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText2,Chr(13),"<br>" & vbCrLf)
tmpText2 = Replace(tmpText2,Chr(9),"    ")
FixForHTML = tmpText2
End Function
%>
Open Microsoft Access, create a new database, and then save it as Guestbook.mdb in the same
folder as the above ASP page.
Create a new table in the database named tblGuestbook with the following fields:
Collapse this tableExpand this table
Field Name
Data Type
Field Size
txtName
Text
50
txtComments
Memo
N/A
Save the table to the database, and then close Microsoft Access.
Testing the Guestbook Application
When you browse the page for the first time, no data is displayed.
When information has been submitted, any guestbook entries will appear.
Entering apostrophes in names (for example O'Brien, O'Sullivan, and so on) or
contractions (such as don't, can't, and so on) are properly formatted and
stored in the database.
When information has been submitted, any guestbook entries will appear.
Entering apostrophes in names (for example O'Brien, O'Sullivan, and so on) or
contractions (such as don't, can't, and so on) are properly formatted and
stored in the database.
Entering apostrophes in names (for example O'Brien, O'Sullivan, and so on) or
contractions (such as don't, can't, and so on) are properly formatted and
stored in the database.
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.
For more information about Microsoft scripting technologies, visit the Microsoft Developer Network web site:
This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.
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