UPDATE SET COLUMN NAME

[trenttc]

Is it possible to do an UPDATE SET @variable = something where the column name is a variable? I can't do a CREATE TABLE or ALTER TABLE for this particular problem.

SET @q = 'q'+ Quantity; @q becomes the column name q100
UPDATE table
SET @q = Price Update column q100 = Price

 

[tlbroadbent]

If your database allows it, you can use dynamic SQL. The following works in MS SQL Server. Other database systems may require different syntax. I recommend that you ask most questions in a specific database forum because of the varying implementations of the ANSI standard.

--Example:
Declare Qq varchar(12), @sql varchar(120)

--@q becomes the column name q100
SET @q = 'q'+ Quantity

--Create dynamic SQL
Select @sql='UPDATE table SET '+@q+'=Price'

--Execute statement
exec(@sql) Terry L. Broadbent - DBA
Computing Links:

http://tlbroadbent.home.attbi.com/prog.htm

faq183-874 contains "Suggestions for Getting Quick and Appropriate Answers" to your questions.

 

[trenttc]

It works using Adaptive Server Anywhere. I just had to spell out execute immediate(@sql). Thanks.