If what you are looking for is a way to say: SET @columnName='mycolumn'; SELECT @columnName FROM mytable;
and have it be interpreted as the same query as: SELECT mycolumn FROM mytable; Then you are out of luck. However, nothing says you can't build a SQL statement in your application dynamically. Just use the string concatenation features built into your development language and you are off and running. I looked for anything in the docs akin to the M$SQL command "exec" which will attempt to execute any statement passed into it as an argument but MySQL doesn't have that command yet. Prepared statements and stored procedures were as close as I could get. Sorry! Shawn Green Database Administrator Unimin Corporation - Spruce Pine [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote on 11/16/2004 03:25:36 PM: > Thanks Gleb, but I cant use that because the query is run directly from > within an aplication. > > Of course there're should other ways to do that but I want to know if > it is posible from within MySql 4.1 gamma. > > If someone does know the answer to this question please let me know > Just in case someone else reads this thread the question is: > > > Is it possible to use variables as column names ? > > like this : Select field1 as @var > from table1 > > > Thanks again > Mauricio > > On Tue, 2004-11-16 at 05:38, Gleb Paharenko wrote: > > Hello, Mauricio. > > I've found something in comments at: > > http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Problems_with_alias.html > > But I don't know if that will help you. Here it is: > > > > "Posted by Ravi Kumar on November 10 2004 9:21am > > > > The above tip can be extended to have variables in column names. > > > > For example: > > The columns in table1 are cyJan,cyFeb,....,cyDec > > > > To select the only column pertaining to current month: > > > > t.sql contains: > > set @a=left(date_format(now(),'%M'),3); > > select concat('select cy',@a,' from table1',';'); > > > > Execute the following command: > > mysql.exe -BN -u %uname% -p"%pwd%" -h %host% -P%port% dbname < t. > sql > t1.sql > > > > In t1.sql, we'll have the required command and this can be wrapped inside > > a shell script." > > > > > > > > Mauricio Pellegrini <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Hi , > > > > > > I need to do the following: > > > Given a certain variable for example @var I want to include the > > > contents of that variable as part of the name of a result column. > > > > > > I'll try to explain myself a bit more with this example > > > > > > > > > Set @var = 'October_' ; > > > > > > Select > > > > > > Tot as 'Totals' <-- Here I would like to include the contents > > > of @var > > > From sales So the resulting column name would be > > > 'October_Totals' > > > > > > The reason for this is because I don't know the value of @var which is > > > typed by the operator at the time the query is run. > > > > > > Is there a way to concatenate the contens of a variable and a column > > > alias at run time ? > > > > > > thanks for your ideas > > > Mauricio > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > For technical support contracts, goto https://order.mysql.com/?ref=ensita > > This email is sponsored by Ensita.NET http://www.ensita.net/ > > __ ___ ___ ____ __ > > / |/ /_ __/ __/ __ \/ / Gleb Paharenko > > / /|_/ / // /\ \/ /_/ / /__ [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > /_/ /_/\_, /___/\___\_\___/ MySQL AB / Ensita.NET > > <___/ www.mysql.com > > > > > > > > > -- > MySQL General Mailing List > For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql > To unsubscribe: http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
