Query always returns 1064 syntax error - mysql

Question

I use 'MariaDB 5.5 x64' and Client HeidiSQL.
server environment is Windows Server2012 Datacenter.
And database use_progress a row is following
int id //auto-incremental primary key
int owner //owner user's unique id
varchar[20] name //key
int value //value
it stores online game user's states key-value type
for example
id owner name value
856 656 stage0cleared 0
857 656 have_gold 10214
858 657 inventory 22
and the next query's working test is fine
select count(*) from use_progress where owner = 656 and name = "inventory";
INSERT INTO use_progress (use_progress.owner, use_progress.name, use_progress.value) VALUES (656, 'inventory', 7);
UPDATE use_progress SET use_progress.value = 7 WHERE use_progress.`owner` = 656 AND use_progress.`name` = 'inventory';
but the next query is error 1064 (syntax error)
BEGIN
IF ((select count(*) from use_progress where owner = 656 and name = "inventory") = 0 ) THEN
INSERT INTO use_progress (use_progress.owner, use_progress.name, use_progress.value) VALUES (656, 'inventory', 7);
ELSE
UPDATE use_progress SET use_progress.value = 7 WHERE use_progress.`owner` = 656 AND use_progress.`name` = 'inventory';
END IF;
END
the error is folling next(always that error):
/* SQL error (1064): You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MariaDB server version for the right syntax to use near 'IF ((select count(*) from use_progress where owner = 656 and name = "inventory")' at line 2 */
I tried everything I could. Use () or not, insert dbname.tablename. prefix to every column name or not. But in every situation, the same error occurs.
I even tried this (line 2 is changed):
BEGIN
IF (1>2) THEN
INSERT INTO use_progress (use_progress.owner, use_progress.name, use_progress.value) VALUES (656, 'inventory', 7);
ELSE
UPDATE use_progress SET use_progress.value = 7 WHERE use_progress.`owner` = 656 AND use_progress.`name` = 'inventory';
END IF;
END
But same error occurs (message is same)
I don't know why this happen.

Answer 1

You can't use control structures like IF() THEN ... in simple queries, only in stored procedures or functions.
In this case you'd use a stored procedure. Try like this:
DELIMITER $$
CREATE PROCEDURE my_proc_name(IN p_owner int, IN p_name varchar(50), IN p_value int)
BEGIN
IF NOT EXISTS (select 1 from use_progress where owner = p_owner and name = p_name) THEN
INSERT INTO use_progress (owner, name, `value`) VALUES (p_owner, p_name, p_value);
ELSE
UPDATE use_progress SET `value` = p_value WHERE `owner` = p_owner AND `name` = p_name;
END IF;
END $$
DELIMITER ;
After creating it, you'd call it like this:
CALL my_proc_name(656, 'inventory', 7);