sql Error Code: 1241. Operand should contain 1 column

Question

I'm new to SQL and have run into a problem. I have searched and read many posts about this error but I can't seem to connect any of the answers to my problem. As far as I can see I'm not doing the same thing, trying to return 2 columns in my SELECT .

INSERT INTO `countries` (
    `alpha2_id`, `alpha3_id`, `numeric_id`, `common_name`,
    `formal_name`, `capital`, `type_id`, `subtype_id`,
    `un_admission_date`, `eu_accession_date`, `anthem`, `motto`,
    `flag_name`, `seal_name`, `coa_name`
)
VALUES (
    'AF', 'AFG', '004', 'Afghanistan', 'Islamic State of Afghanistan', 'Kabul',
    (
        SELECT id_no FROM `country_types`
        WHERE `type_id`='T' AND `description`='Independent State'
    ),
    (
        SELECT id_no FROM `country_types`
        WHERE `type_id`='S' AND `description`=''
    ),
    '1946/11/19', null, 'Afghan National Anthem', '', 'af.png', '', 'af_coa.png'
);

This test query works fine but when I try to add a 2nd line I get the SQL error 1241.

INSERT INTO `countries` (
    `alpha2_id`, `alpha3_id`, `numeric_id`, `common_name`,
    `formal_name`, `capital`, `type_id`, `subtype_id`,
    `un_admission_date`, `eu_accession_date`, `anthem`, `motto`,
    `flag_name`, `seal_name`, `coa_name`
)
VALUES (
    (
        'AF', 'AFG', '004', 'Afghanistan', 'Islamic State of Afghanistan', 'Kabul',
        (
            SELECT id_no FROM `country_types`
            WHERE `type_id`='T' AND `description`='Independent State'
        ),
        (
            SELECT id_no FROM `country_types`
            WHERE `type_id`='S' AND `description`=''
        ),
        '1946/11/19', null, 'Afghan National Anthem', '', 'af.png', '', 'af_coa.png'
    ),
    (
        'AL', 'ALB', '008', 'Albania', 'Republic of Albania', 'Tirana',
        (
            SELECT id_no FROM `country_types`
            WHERE `type_id`='T' AND `description`='Independent State'
        ),
        (
            SELECT id_no FROM `country_types`
            WHERE `type_id`='S' AND `description`=''
        ),
        '1955/12/14', null, 'Himni i Flamurit (United around the flag)', 'Ti, Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar (You, Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian)', 'al.png', '', 'al_coa.png'
    )
);

Can anyone see where I've gone wrong?

EDIT: I have a csv file with 198 countries that I have to insert into a mysql table. I can't insert the data as a csv because I need to convert 2 text fields ( type_id and subtype_id ) into int fields. Since I'm new to SQL, I searched this website and found the syntax to use. The single import works fine so I again searched this website to get the syntax for multiple inserts. This is the format I found:

INSERT INTO `countries` (col-names)
VALUES (
    (data fields to insert),
    (data fields to insert)
);

The above sample is 5 lines, might not show up this way, I'm still learning how to format my posts. If I can get 2 lines of values to work then I can add the other 196 lines.

I have placed a sample txt file here . Your browser might wrap so you might want to look at the source.

Answer 1

Try this syntax:

INSERT INTO countries
(
    alpha2_id,
    alpha3_id,
    numeric_id,
    common_name,
    formal_name,
    capital,
    type_id,
    subtype_id,
    un_admission_date,
    eu_accession_date,
    anthem,
    motto,
    flag_name,
    seal_name,
    coa_name
)
VALUES (
    (
        'AF',
        'AFG',
        '004',
        'Afghanistan',
        'Islamic State of Afghanistan',
        'Kabul',
        (
            SELECT id_no
            FROM   country_types
            WHERE  type_id='T'
            AND    description='Independent State'),
        (
            SELECT id_no
            FROM   country_types
            WHERE  type_id='S'
            AND    description=''),
        '1946/11/19',
        NULL,
        'Afghan National Anthem',
        '',
        'af.png',
        '',
        'af_coa.png'
    )
    ,
    (
        'AL', 'ALB', '008', 'Albania', 'Republic of Albania', 'Tirana',
        (
            SELECT id_no
            FROM   country_types
            WHERE  type_id='T'
            AND    description='Independent State'),
        (
            SELECT id_no
            FROM   country_types
            WHERE  type_id='S'
            AND    description=''),
        '1955/12/14',
        NULL,
        'Himni i Flamurit (United around the flag)',
        'Ti, Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar (You, Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian)',
        'al.png',
        '',
        'al_coa.png'
    )
)
"; 

Answer 2

Your Query Should look like this

INSERT INTO countries
(
alpha2_id, alpha3_id, numeric_id, 
common_name,formal_name, capital, 
type_id, subtype_id, un_admission_date, 
eu_accession_date, anthem, motto, 
flag_name, seal_name, coa_name
 )

 Select 'AF', 'AFG', '004', 
'Afghanistan', 'Islamic State of Afghanistan', 'Kabul',
(SELECT id_no FROM `country_types` WHERE `type_id`='T' AND `description`='Independent State')as TypeId,
(SELECT id_no FROM `country_types` WHERE `type_id`='S' AND `description`='')as subtype_id,
'1946/11/19' as un_admission_date, null,
'Afghan National Anthem', '', 'af.png','', 'af_coa.png'
 /*  In Column  eu_accession_date You are Passing Null Please check whether  
 you column can contain null or not*/