What potential issues can arise when storing file paths in MySQL using PHP variables?

When storing file paths in MySQL using PHP variables, one potential issue is escaping special characters that may be present in the file path. This is important to prevent SQL injection attacks and ensure the file path is stored correctly in the database. One way to solve this issue is by using prepared statements with parameterized queries, which automatically handle escaping special characters.

// Assuming $filePath contains the file path to be stored in MySQL

// Establish a database connection
$connection = new mysqli("localhost", "username", "password", "database");

// Prepare the SQL statement with a parameterized query
$query = $connection->prepare("INSERT INTO files (file_path) VALUES (?)");
$query->bind_param("s", $filePath);

// Execute the query
$query->execute();

// Close the connection
$connection->close();