Column name as variable

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Column name as variable

Urs Held

Old Hand

Points: 349
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July 11, 2005 at 2:15 am

#68155

Dear all,
In a SQL-Script I want to use the column name as a variable, but a do not know the correct syntax. Example:
Declare @var1 char(2)
Set @var1 = 'xy'
Select [@var1] from table_ab
Can anyone help? Many thanks
urs

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Jon-183221 SSCommitted Points: 1908 More actions · Answer 1

Try this.

Declare @var1 char(2)

Set @var1 = 'xy'

EXEC('Select ' + @var1 + ' from table_ab')

Chiranjib Chowdhury Old Hand Points: 326 More actions · Answer 2

The correct systax is:

Declare @var1 char(2)

Set @var1 = 'xy'

Select @var1 as Var1 from table_ab

Lowell SSC Guru Points: 323518 More actions · Answer 3

that is not the correct syntax; the dynamic SQL Jon posted is the correct solution.

your SQL would return 'xy' for every row in the table table_ab, where Jon's statement would return the Value stored in the column xy for the table table_ab.

ie: results:

Var1

------------------------------

xy

...

(476 row(s) affected)

instead of

xy

------------------------------

149.65

337.24

959.33

...

(476 row(s) affected)

Lowell

--help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!

Ninja's_RGR'us SSC Guru Points: 294069 More actions · Answer 4

Guys you forgot the most important question to ask :

Why do you want to use dynamic sql??

Did you ever read this?

The Curse and Blessings of Dynamic SQL