Table Name Substitution with a variable

Table Name Substitution with a variable

Question:
I have data that is broken into multiple tables depending on the month. For example:

99jan table99feb table

These tables are all built the same and are very large (each one has 500,000 rows).

I am writing a simple interactive script that prompts you “From what month do you want to see your query?” and accepts your answer into a variable. It then will pull information from the table you entered. How can I use a statement like:

'Select col1,col2 from '&variable' where ...

Answer:
Assuming you are using SQL Server, you can use “dynamic sql.” This means that you can build up a string that contains the command you want to run and then tell SQL Server to execute the string. For example:

use pubsgodeclare @string char(120), @table char(30)select @table = 'authors'select @string = 'select * from ' + @tableexec (@string)/* or you can even do this */exec ('select * from ' + @table)

However, I question the need to create separate tables for just 500,000 rows apiece on SQL Server. I’ve had tables with more than 10 million records perform quite well.

Share the Post:
Heading photo, Metadata.

What is Metadata?

What is metadata? Well, It’s an odd concept to wrap your head around. Metadata is essentially the secondary layer of data that tracks details about the “regular” data. The regular

XDR solutions

The Benefits of Using XDR Solutions

Cybercriminals constantly adapt their strategies, developing newer, more powerful, and intelligent ways to attack your network. Since security professionals must innovate as well, more conventional endpoint detection solutions have evolved

AI is revolutionizing fraud detection

How AI is Revolutionizing Fraud Detection

Artificial intelligence – commonly known as AI – means a form of technology with multiple uses. As a result, it has become extremely valuable to a number of businesses across

AI innovation

Companies Leading AI Innovation in 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming industries and revolutionizing business operations. AI’s potential to enhance efficiency and productivity has become crucial to many businesses. As we move into 2023, several

data fivetran pricing

Fivetran Pricing Explained

One of the biggest trends of the 21st century is the massive surge in analytics. Analytics is the process of utilizing data to drive future decision-making. With so much of

kubernetes logging

Kubernetes Logging: What You Need to Know

Kubernetes from Google is one of the most popular open-source and free container management solutions made to make managing and deploying applications easier. It has a solid architecture that makes