PHP/MySQL Insert null values

This is one example where using prepared statements really saves you some trouble.

In MySQL, in order to insert a null value, you must specify it at INSERT time or leave the field out which requires additional branching:

INSERT INTO table2 (f1, f2)
  VALUES ('String Value', NULL);

However, if you want to insert a value in that field, you must now branch your code to add the single quotes:

INSERT INTO table2 (f1, f2)
  VALUES ('String Value', 'String Value');

Prepared statements automatically do that for you. They know the difference between string(0) "" and null and write your query appropriately:

$stmt = $mysqli->prepare("INSERT INTO table2 (f1, f2) VALUES (?, ?)");
$stmt->bind_param('ss', $field1, $field2);

$field1 = "String Value";
$field2 = null;

$stmt->execute();

It escapes your fields for you, makes sure that you don't forget to bind a parameter. There is no reason to stay with the mysql extension. Use mysqli and it's prepared statements instead. You'll save yourself a world of pain.

I think you need quotes around your {$row['null_field']}, so '{$row['null_field']}'

If you don't have the quotes, you'll occasionally end up with an insert statement that looks like this: insert into table2 (f1, f2) values ('val1',) which is a syntax error.

If that is a numeric field, you will have to do some testing above it, and if there is no value in null_field, explicitly set it to null..