Append variable to query

  • Hi,

    declare @Value varchar (20)
    SELECT @Value = case when @status = 'Y' then '' else 'top 500 ' end

    I need to append the above @Value variable result at the start to the below query.

    Select @Value COUNT(*) OVER() TotalRows, Column1, Column2 from table (but this doesn't work)

    I can use a if condition, but I don't know want to prolong the query. Is there anyway to achieve this?
    The final query should look like this if @status='Y'
    Select top 500 COUNT(*) OVER() TotalRows, Column1, Column2 from table

  • It sounds like what you're after here is dynamic SQL. You can't pass variables as of a SQL statement, so you need to write our the SQL statement into it's own variable, and then execute that.

    Fortunately, this isn't going to be an injection nightmare, as you've limited the input 9this nis a good thing). Something like this should work:
    --Declare SQL Statement Variable
    DECLARE @sql varchar(max);
    --Set value for SQL Statement Variable
    SET @sql ='Select ' + CASE @Value WHEN 'Y' THEN '' ELSE 'TOP 500 ' END + CHAR(10) +
    'COUNT(*) OVER () TotalRows, Column1, Column2' + CHAR(10) +
    'FROM Table;';
    --Have a look at the SQl, for troubleshooting
    PRINT(@SQL);
    --_Execute SQL statement.
    EXEC (@SQL);

    Thom~

    Excuse my typos and sometimes awful grammar. My fingers work faster than my brain does.
    Larnu.uk

  • Thom A - Tuesday, August 22, 2017 5:53 AM

    It sounds like what you're after here is dynamic SQL. You can't pass variables as of a SQL statement, so you need to write our the SQL statement into it's own variable, and then execute that.

    Fortunately, this isn't going to be an injection nightmare, as you've limited the input 9this nis a good thing). Something like this should work:
    --Declare SQL Statement Variable
    DECLARE @sql varchar(max);
    --Set value for SQL Statement Variable
    SET @sql ='Select ' + CASE @Value WHEN 'Y' THEN '' ELSE 'TOP 500 ' END + CHAR(10) +
    'COUNT(*) OVER () TotalRows, Column1, Column2' + CHAR(10) +
    'FROM Table;';
    --Have a look at the SQl, for troubleshooting
    PRINT(@SQL);
    --_Execute SQL statement.
    EXEC (@SQL);

    Bad things CAN be done in 20 characters. Plus what happens in the future when it is changed to a varchar(NNN)??

    I would ABSOLUTELY switch this around to use sp_executesql to completely avoid SQL Injection potential.

    Best,
    Kevin G. Boles
    SQL Server Consultant
    SQL MVP 2007-2012
    TheSQLGuru on googles mail service

  • TheSQLGuru - Tuesday, August 22, 2017 7:29 AM

    Thom A - Tuesday, August 22, 2017 5:53 AM

    It sounds like what you're after here is dynamic SQL. You can't pass variables as of a SQL statement, so you need to write our the SQL statement into it's own variable, and then execute that.

    Fortunately, this isn't going to be an injection nightmare, as you've limited the input 9this nis a good thing). Something like this should work:
    --Declare SQL Statement Variable
    DECLARE @sql varchar(max);
    --Set value for SQL Statement Variable
    SET @sql ='Select ' + CASE @Value WHEN 'Y' THEN '' ELSE 'TOP 500 ' END + CHAR(10) +
    'COUNT(*) OVER () TotalRows, Column1, Column2' + CHAR(10) +
    'FROM Table;';
    --Have a look at the SQl, for troubleshooting
    PRINT(@SQL);
    --_Execute SQL statement.
    EXEC (@SQL);

    Bad things CAN be done in 20 characters. Plus what happens in the future when it is changed to a varchar(NNN)??

    I would ABSOLUTELY switch this around to use sp_executesql to completely avoid SQL Injection potential.

    Considering that @Value is enclosed outside the Created SQL Statement, and resolved into only '' and 'TOP 500 ' by the use of the CASE expression, where would your concern be with the above example? Even using a statement like SET @VALUE = '; CREATE TABLE T;' will resolve to 'TOP 500 '.

    I agree, however,if passing a pure parameter, sp_executesql is definitely the right choice.

    Thom~

    Excuse my typos and sometimes awful grammar. My fingers work faster than my brain does.
    Larnu.uk

  • OOPSIE!! Coffee clearly hasn't kicked in yet! 🙂

    Best,
    Kevin G. Boles
    SQL Server Consultant
    SQL MVP 2007-2012
    TheSQLGuru on googles mail service

  • TheSQLGuru - Tuesday, August 22, 2017 7:47 AM

    OOPSIE!! Coffee clearly hasn't kicked in yet! 🙂

    Ha, no worries. You had me worried I had missed something. 🙂

    Thom~

    Excuse my typos and sometimes awful grammar. My fingers work faster than my brain does.
    Larnu.uk

  • Would a simple IF/THEN/ELSE structure suffice?

    IF @status = 'Y'
    BEGIN
           Select Top 500 COUNT(*) OVER() TotalRows, Column1, Column2 from table
    END
    ELSE
    BEGIN
            Select COUNT(*) OVER() TotalRows, Column1, Column2 from table
    END

  • TOP allows an expression sin SQL 2008

    TOP(CASE WHEN @status = 'Y' THEN 500 ELSE 999999 END)

    Far away is close at hand in the images of elsewhere.
    Anon.

  • You can use variable as numeric number and it should work, and for else part use some higher number. With this you can avoid dynamic query

    declare @i int =case when @status = 'Y' then 1000000 else 500 end
        
    Select top (@i) COUNT(*) OVER() TotalRows, Column1, Column2 from table

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