Perl and DBI

Is it possible to refer to a table in a query statement, where the table name is a variable.
For example:
select * from $table where whatever

$table, being the a varable that contains the name of the table?

Thank you.

Yes.

Imo,

Do you know how to do it? When I tried to code a query, I recieved a Mysql error indicating that it was tring to look up the table database01.$table. (Assuming a database named database01 and refering to the table with the variable $table). It appeared to me that DBI was passing the variable name to Mysql in a literal fashion (i.e., the name of the variable and not the contents of the variable).

Thanks

Did you do "$table"? This would explain it.

Mark

Mark,

Thank you. That was the problem. I completely overlooked the fact that I had single quoted my query statement....

It always ends up being something simple like that doesn't it.
Greg Zartman

I have been having a similar problem. Would you mind showing me your database connection code? My code seems to get stuck on the
$sth=$dbh->prepare($SQL)

my $dbh = DBI->connect("dbi:mysql:$main_member_dbase", "$main_member_username", "$main_member_password") | | &p_error;
my($sth) = $dbh->prepare("SELECT * FROM $hit_table WHERE username = ? ") | | &p_error;
$sth->execute($user) | | &p_error;
@stat_array = $sth->fetchrow_array();
$sth->finish;
$dbh->disconnect;

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bydavid:
I have been having a similar problem. Would you mind showing me your database connection code? My code seems to get stuck on the
$sth=$dbh->prepare($SQL)[/quote]

check your assignment code for $SQL. I had the same problem, where it got stuck at that line, until I changed
$sth=$dbh->prepare($SQL) to
$sth=$dbh->prepare($sql)

-Josh http://www.datera.com

i tried that , but i still have the same problem.

i have switched to teh mysql module and i got
results the frist time. what is the difference, where can i find information about all the functions included in mysql module.

You need to double quote the prepare statement, otherwise Mysql interprets the information inside of the parentheses literally. For example:
prepare ("select * from $table where $item = ?)
This will pass the query statement to mysql with the values of the variables inserted in the command line. If you don't double quote this statement, then the command that mysql would see would be: select * from $table where $item = ?. This won't work as mysql has no idea what the values of $table and $item are.