get table info when only table name is known.

[KJS2002]

I'm trying to query a table and get back 'something' from which I can extract the table's column names and types.

At the moment I'm using meta data (Java) but need at least one record in my ResultSet to be able to get the meta data in the first place.

So...
1. How can I select just one record from a table without knowing any details about that table or any records in it? (something like 'SELECT TOP 1' for MS SQL Server)

Or/and...
2. Is it possible to get table information without retrieving a record (what if the table is empty for example?).

Thanks.

 

[sleipnir214]

DESCRIBE <tablename>

Will tell you about a table. ______________________________________________________________________

http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[KarveR]

or if you must select something:
SELECT * FROM <tablename> limit 1

will return just 1 row of data. ______________________________________________________________________
There's no present like the time, they say. - Henry's Cat.

 

[johnccy]

&quot;describe <tablename>&quot; is equal to:
&quot;show columns from <tablename>&quot;