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Description

This error indicates that the SQL code within a database trigger's body contains an invalid statement or structure. It occurs when MySQL attempts to create or execute a trigger whose definition is syntactically incorrect or logically flawed, preventing the trigger from functioning as intended.

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Error Message

Trigger '%s' has an error in its body: '%s'

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Known Causes

3 known causes

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Syntax Errors in Body

The SQL statements within the trigger body contain incorrect syntax, keywords, or punctuation.

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Invalid Object References

The trigger body refers to tables, columns, or functions that do not exist or are misspelled.

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Data Type Mismatches

Operations within the trigger attempt to assign or compare incompatible data types, leading to an error during parsing or execution.

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Solutions

3 solutions available

1. Review and Correct Trigger Syntax easy

Manually inspect the trigger body for syntax errors and correct them.

1

Identify the trigger name and the problematic part of its body from the error message.

2

Use `SHOW TRIGGERS LIKE 'your_trigger_name';` or query the `information_schema.TRIGGERS` table to retrieve the exact trigger definition.

SHOW TRIGGERS LIKE 'your_trigger_name';

-- OR --

SELECT EVENT_OBJECT_TABLE, TRIGGER_NAME, ACTION_STATEMENT FROM information_schema.TRIGGERS WHERE TRIGGER_NAME = 'your_trigger_name';

3

Carefully examine the `ACTION_STATEMENT` (the trigger body) for common syntax errors such as missing semicolons, incorrect keywords, mismatched parentheses, or invalid SQL statements within the trigger.

4

Correct the identified syntax errors and then re-create the trigger using the `CREATE TRIGGER` statement. Ensure you drop the existing trigger first if it's already created with the faulty syntax.

DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS your_trigger_name;
CREATE TRIGGER your_trigger_name
  BEFORE INSERT ON your_table
  FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
  -- Corrected trigger body SQL statements here
END;

2. Simplify and Rebuild the Trigger medium

Remove complex logic and rebuild the trigger step-by-step to isolate the error.

1

Save the current trigger definition to a file for backup.

SHOW TRIGGERS LIKE 'your_trigger_name'; > trigger_backup.sql

2

Drop the existing trigger.

DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS your_trigger_name;

3

Start by creating a minimal, valid trigger body and gradually add back the original logic, testing after each addition. This helps pinpoint the exact statement causing the syntax issue.

CREATE TRIGGER your_trigger_name
  BEFORE INSERT ON your_table
  FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
  -- Minimal valid statement (e.g., SELECT 1;)
  SELECT 1;
END;

4

If the minimal trigger works, incrementally add parts of your original trigger body, re-creating the trigger each time. When the error reappears, you've found the problematic section.

CREATE TRIGGER your_trigger_name
  BEFORE INSERT ON your_table
  FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
  -- Add a small part of original logic
  -- Test
  -- Add another part
  -- Test again...
END;

5

Once the problematic statement is identified, focus on correcting its syntax or find an alternative way to achieve the same functionality.

3. Check for Reserved Keywords and Delimiters medium

Ensure no MySQL reserved keywords are used incorrectly and that delimiters are properly handled.

1

Review the trigger body for any SQL reserved keywords (e.g., `SELECT`, `UPDATE`, `INSERT`, `DELETE`, `WHERE`, `GROUP`, `ORDER`, `TABLE`, `DATABASE`) used as identifiers without proper quoting.

2

If a reserved keyword is used as an identifier (like a column name), enclose it in backticks (``).

CREATE TRIGGER your_trigger_name
  BEFORE INSERT ON your_table
  FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
  -- Example: 'order' is a reserved keyword
  SET NEW.`order` = NEW.item_number;
END;

3

When a trigger body contains multiple SQL statements that require semicolons, you must change the default delimiter for the `CREATE TRIGGER` statement to avoid premature termination. Common practice is to use `$$` or `//`.

DELIMITER $$

CREATE TRIGGER your_trigger_name
  BEFORE INSERT ON your_table
  FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
  -- Statement 1;
  -- Statement 2;
  -- ...
END$$

DELIMITER ;

4

Ensure the `DELIMITER` is reset to the default semicolon (`;`) after the `CREATE TRIGGER` statement.

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Related Errors

5 related errors

MySQL Error 1710: Invalid Trigger Body Syntax