Query Syntax error

Question

Please help me correct the following query:

SQL = \"insert into tblContract (Empid, Start1, Finish1, Store1, \" & _
                    \"Start2, Finish2, St         


        

Answer 1

Sub-queries should be enclosed in parentheses: (select max(testid) FROM tbltesting)

Note that your SQL engine will probably not support sub-queries in the INSERT statement, so you should insert using a INSERT...SELECT query instead.

Answer 2

You need to re-write your VALUES clause as a SELECT query.

You have seven columns in your INSERT clause and eight in your VALUES clause. From the column names I guess your subquery

select max(testid) FROM tbltesting

is missing a destination. Guessing it may be called starting_testid; also guessing data types (Access database engine ANSI-92 Query Mode syntax):

CREATE PROCEDURE AddContract
(
 :Empid INTEGER, 
 :Start1 DATETIME, 
 :Finish1 DATETIME,
 :Store1 VARCHAR(20), 
 :Start2 DATETIME,
 :Finish2 DATETIME,
 :Store2 VARCHAR(20)
)
AS
insert into tblContract 
( 
 Empid, starting_testid, 
 Start1, Finish1, Store1, 
 Start2, Finish2, Store2
)
SELECT :Empid, max(testid), 
       :Start1, :Finish1, :Store1, 
       :Start2, :Finish2, :Store2
  FROM tbltesting;

Answer 3

Just remove VALUES:

SQL =  "
       INSERT INTO tblContract (Empid, Start1, Finish1, Store1, Start2, Finish2, Store2)
       SELECT " & Me.txtEmpNo.Value & "', MAX(testid), '" &
       Me.txtContSunStart1.Value & "', '" & Me.txtContSunFinish1.Value & "','" & 
       Me.txtContSunStore1.Value & "','" & Me.txtContSunStart2.Value & "', '" & 
       Me.txtContSunFinish2.Value & "','" & Me.txtContSunStore2.Value & "' " &
       "FROM tbltesting'"

Since you have 7 target fields and 8 SELECT list expressions, this won't compile until you provide an extra field in the INSERT clause where you want your MAX(testid) to go to.

Answer 4

If anything is going to work, you will have to embed the sub-query inside an extra layer of parentheses:

INSERT INTO SomeTable(Col1, Col2, Col3)
    VALUES(val1, (SELECT MAX(testid) FROM tbltesting), val3);

Be aware that you are vulnerable to SQL Injection attacks.

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Using IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.50 in a database with a 'table of elements', the following works:

create temp table t(i integer, j integer, k integer);
insert into t values(1, (select max(atomic_number) from elements), 2);
select * from t;

1   118     2

This is correct given the current data in the table of elements.