Python MySQLdb execute table variable

python mysql-python

Jim Smith · Mar 6, 2013 · Viewed 7.8k times · Source

I'm trying to use a variable for a table name. I get the error "... near ''myTable'' at line 1 I must not be escaping this right. The double '' in the error seems to be a clue, but I don't get it.

db = MySQLdb.connect("localhost","user","pw","database" )
table = "myTable"
def geno_order(db, table):
    cursor = db.cursor() # prepare a cursor object using cursor() method
    sql = "SELECT * FROM %s"
    cursor.execute(sql, table)
    results = cursor.fetchall()

Answer

You can't use a parameter for the table name in the execute call. You'll need to use normal Python string interpolation for that:

sql = "SELECT * FROM %s" % table
cursor.execute(sql)

Naturally, you'll need to be extra careful if the table name is coming from user input. To mitigate SQL injection, validate the table name against a list of valid names.

Python MySQLdb execute table variable

Answer

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