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 need to select data from a column whose name I don't know

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AskSQLTeam
Ask SQLTeam Question

0 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-25 : 08:51:32
Billy writes "I need to make a select from a table, but I don't know the column names, I've used COL_NAME(OBJECT_ID('tablename'), 7) but it returns the name of the column
How can I use that name now to get the data from the column?

if I do
select COL_NAME(OBJECT_ID('tablename'), 7) from tablename
I can't get the data. Is ther a way to do it?

Billy"

nr
SQLTeam MVY

12543 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-25 : 09:12:11
declare @sql varchar(2000)
select @sql = 'select ' + COL_NAME(OBJECT_ID('tablename'), 7) + ' from tablename'
from tablename
exec (@sql)

yuk.

==========================================
Cursors are useful if you don't know sql.
DTS can be used in a similar way.
Beer is not cold and it isn't fizzy.
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AjarnMark
SQL Slashing Gunting Master

3246 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-29 : 15:25:34
I agree with Nigel when he says yuk. It just confounds me that there is any reasonable (well-designed) reason why you would not know the column name. This idea of dynamic everything is rapidly becoming a pet-peeve of mine.

-----------------------------------------------------
Words of Wisdom from AjarnMark, owner of Infoneering
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X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-29 : 15:29:21
quote:
Originally posted by AjarnMark

This idea of dynamic everything is rapidly becoming a pet-peeve of mine.



Just now?

I mean it's great when you want to gen code, and do admin stuff...

But not for apps....



Brett

8-)
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AjarnMark
SQL Slashing Gunting Master

3246 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-29 : 16:34:16
quote:
Originally posted by X002548

Just now?

No, actually it's been a peeve of mine since shortly after I started answering questions here on SQLTeam. It just happened to spill out now. And yes, I will be blogging on this soon, too, so everyone can enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------------
Words of Wisdom from AjarnMark, owner of Infoneering
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Knarf180
Starting Member

42 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-29 : 16:38:18
I personally love dynamic stuff. I write web based applications so everything is pretty much handled blindly. But in this case I have to agree with everyone else. Table and field names should not be dynamic. Heck, how about you make your variables dynamic too, should make everything a lot more interesting when you try to pull from them.

- Frank
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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2004-10-29 : 16:44:34
You must be a mind reader:

http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41556

I think it's gotten to the point where developers are just too lazy or incompetent to actually spend a few minutes learning about the data sources they're trying to access. Like it should be automatic and simple so they don't have to think about it.
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