Storing multiple image paths in one column of MySQL database table

Question

I'm able to upload multiple images to the upload folder and its path to the database but my code is creating new row in database for each image with new id (which i dont want) . I want to store all the images path to a single column in database with same id and separated with comma.

here is my php code:

    <?php
    include('connection.php');
    foreach($_FILES['files']['name'] as $i => $name) {

    $name = $_FILES['files']['name'][$i];
    $size = $_FILES['files']['size'][$i];
    $type = $_FILES['files']['type'][$i];
    $tmp = $_FILES['files']['tmp_name'][$i];

    $explode = explode('.', $name);


    $ext = end($explode);

    $path = 'uploads/';
    $path = $path . basename( $explode[0] . time() .'.'. $ext);

     $sql="INSERT into pictures (FILE_NAME, FILE_SIZE, FILE_TYPE ) 
     VALUES('$name','$size','$type'); ";

    mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
    $errors = array();

    if(empty($_FILES['files']['tmp_name'][$i])) {
        $errors[] = 'Please choose at least 1 file to be uploaded.';
    }else {

        $allowed = array('jpg','jpeg','gif','bmp','png');

        $max_size = 2000000; // 2MB

        if(in_array($ext, $allowed) === false) {
            $errors[] = 'The file <b>'.$name.'</b> extension is not allowed.';
        }

        if($size > $max_size) {
            $errors[] = 'The file <b>'.$name.'</b> size is too hight.';
        }

    }

    if(empty($errors)) {

        if(!file_exists('uploads')) {
            mkdir('uploads', 0777);
        }

        if(move_uploaded_file($tmp, $path)) {
            echo '<p>The file <b>'.$name.'</b> successful upload</p>';
        }else {
            echo 'Something went wrong while uploading 
     <b>'.$name.'</b>';
        }

    }else {
        foreach($errors as $error) {
            echo '<p>'.$error.'<p>';
        }
    }

}

    ?>

database screenshot as below

Answer 1

Just improve your code and also place insert query outside the foreach loop

<?php
include('connection.php');
$files = [];
foreach($_FILES['files']['name'] as $i => $name) {

    $name = $_FILES['files']['name'][$i];
    $size = $_FILES['files']['size'][$i];
    $type = $_FILES['files']['type'][$i];
    $tmp = $_FILES['files']['tmp_name'][$i];

    $explode = explode('.', $name);


    $ext = end($explode);

    $updatdName = $explode[0] . time() .'.'. $ext;
    $path = 'uploads/';
    $path = $path . basename( $updatdName );

    if(empty($_FILES['files']['tmp_name'][$i])) {
        $errors[] = 'Please choose at least 1 file to be uploaded.';
    }else {

        $allowed = array('jpg','jpeg','gif','bmp','png');

        $max_size = 2000000; // 2MB

        if(in_array($ext, $allowed) === false) {
            $errors[] = 'The file <b>'.$name.'</b> extension is not allowed.';
        }

        if($size > $max_size) {
            $errors[] = 'The file <b>'.$name.'</b> size is too hight.';
        }

    }

    if(empty($errors)) {

        // if there is no error then set values
        $files['file_name'][] = $updatdName;
        $files['size'][] = $size;
        $files['type'][] = $type;
        $errors = array();
        if(!file_exists('uploads')) {
            mkdir('uploads', 0777);
        }

        if(move_uploaded_file($tmp, $path)) {
            echo '<p>The file <b>'.$name.'</b> successful upload</p>';
        }else {
            echo 'Something went wrong while uploading 
     <b>'.$name.'</b>';
        }

    }else {
        foreach($errors as $error) {
            echo '<p>'.$error.'<p>';
        }
    }

}

if(!empty($files)) {

    $files['file_name'][] = $updatdName;
    $files['size'][] = $size;
    $files['type'][] = $type;
    $names = implode(',', $files['file_name']);
    $sizes = implode(',', $files['size']);
    $types = implode(',', $files['type']);
    $sql="INSERT into pictures (FILE_NAME, FILE_SIZE, FILE_TYPE ) 
         VALUES('$names','$sizes','$types'); ";
    mysqli_query($conn, $sql);
}

I think this will help you.