title: MySQL Error #1064 Having trouble finding solution?
body: <p>I realize the error pertains to syntax - I am fairly new to MySQL; but I usually know my way around. This error has been plaguing me for days! Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks!</p>
  
  <p>ERROR:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Connected successfully! SQLSTATE[42000]: Syntax error or access violation: 1064 You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1 USER EXISTS </p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>CODE (I narrowed it down to these two functions, addUser() calls doesUserExist()):</p>
  
  <pre><code>function doesUserExist($user, $conn) {
  
      try {
  
          // Setting the query and runnin it...  
          $sql = "SELECT COUNT(email) FROM userinformation WHERE email = $user";
          $result = $conn-&gt;query($sql);
  
          // If it's greater than 0 then the account exists
          if ($result != 0) {
              echo "more than 0";
              return true; // user exists
          } else {
              echo "0";
              return false; // user does not exist
          }
      }
      // Catching it if something went wrong.
      catch(PDOException $e) {
          echo $e-&gt;getMessage();
      }
  } 
  
  function addUser($user, $conn) {
      echo $user;
      // If user does not exist
  
      if (doesUserExist($user, $conn) === false) {
          // Add user to database (begin this process)
          $sqlEntry = "INSERT INTO userinformation (email, password) VALUES('alexnord', 'password')";
          $query = $conn-&gt;query($sqlEntry); // insert data into table
  
       } else {
           // Take to profile homepage
           echo "USER EXISTS";
       }
  }
  </code></pre>