PHP PDO, Binding not working -

very new this. connection working fine, i'm able insert/select/delete database etc, once start trying make secure, using binding, it's doing nothing. afternoon i've been assuming it's syntax, i'm still getting used to, i've tried , gone through countless tutorials. works, until start binding. when run code below, nothing happens. after running , checking db, there's been no insertion.

here's code right now... i've stripped basics. shouldn't work? else wrong? i'm starting think it's wrong server or something.

<?php //connection working before $query = $db->prepare("insert players (name) values (:name)"); $query->bindparam(':name', 'john smith'); $query->execute(); ?> 

just in case, here's connection routine....

try {     $db = new pdo('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=xxx;charset=utf8',         'xx', 'xxx', array(             pdo::attr_emulate_prepares => false,              pdo::attr_errmode => pdo::errmode_exception          ));     echo "connected"; } catch(pdoexception $e) {     echo $e->getmessage(); } 

having no problems connection.

for bindvalue(), first parameter needs identifier value, in case ':name'. second parameter value being bound variable passed method $name, take here

    $dbhandler = self::gethandler();     // prepare query:     $stmthandler= $dbhandler->prepare("insert players (name) values (:name)");     // bind value:     $stmthandler->bindvalue(':name', $name);     // execute query:     $stmthandler->execute(); 

php.net better job explaining here

hope helps you.