Is there any reasonable way to run multiple queries in mysql, separated by semicolons;

Question

Is there any reasonable way to run multiple MySQL queries, separated by a semicolon (;) in a string, via PHP, possibly using a PHP function - and how can you code such a PHP function? Requests MUST be separated by a colon in the line, and there should be no manual editing of what is accepted in other issues, since the decision should process this format (this is the point).

$multi_query = "INSERT INTO `stuff_5_firm` (firm_id, firmname) VALUES (0, 'Hey LTD'); INSERT INTO `stuff_6_invoice` (invoice_id, firm_id, amount) VALUES (0, 0, 500); INSERT INTO `stuff_7_order` (order_id, firm_id, when) VALUES (0, 0, '2018-05-05'); "; 

Answer 1

Here is a working solution

 <?php function function_that_does_multiple_queries($mq, $dblink) { // if a new line follows the ; then $q_array = explode(';\n',$mq); is suggested since queries can contain ; below $q_array = explode(";",$mq); /* //To check structure of array echo "<pre>"; print_r($q_array); echo "</pre>"; exit(); */ foreach($q_array as $q){ $q = trim($q); $r[] = mysqli_query($dblink,$q); } return $r; } $multi_query = "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `stuff_5_firm` ( `firmid` int(11) NOT NULL, `firm_name` varchar(256) NOT NULL, `firm_invoice_adr` text NOT NULL, `firm_invoice_email` varchar(256) NOT NULL, `firm_admin_con_to_userid` int(16) NOT NULL ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1; CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `stuff_6_invoice` ( `invoiceid` int(11) NOT NULL, `inv_date` datetime NOT NULL, `inv_due` datetime NOT NULL, `inv_paid` datetime NOT NULL, `inv_amount` int(11) NOT NULL, `inv_text` int(11) NOT NULL ) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;"; function_that_does_multiple_queries($multi_query, $dblink); ?> 

It might be wiser to use mysqli_multi_query, which is explained here http://php.net/manual/en/mysqli.multi-query.php (thanks @andrewsi).