$serverName = 'localhost';
  $connectionInfo = array( "UID"=>'webuser',
                        "PWD"=>'topsecretpwd',
                        "Database"=>"staffweb");
  $conn = sqlsrv_connect($serverName, $connectionInfo);
  $query = "INSERT INTO newemps (fname,lname,nname,sdate,myname,addinfo) VALUES ('$first','$last','$nick','$sdate','$myname','addinfo')";
  $results = sqlsrv_query($conn, $query);
  if( $results ) { echo "success\n"; }
else { echo "failed\n<br>";
    exit ( print_r( sqlsrv_errors(), true)); }
  sqlsrv_free_stmt( $results);
  sqlsrv_close( $conn);