SQL how to use alias to carry a table name through t-sql

Question

This is probably a simple question, and I'm sorry if it's not worded super clearly. If I could word this more clearly... I'd probably be able to find the answer online.

What I want to do, is be able to write down the table name only one time at the top of my SQL, and let the system carry that through the rest of my SQL. I am essentially doing it with individual values like mindate but can't get it to work for the whole table.

This works:

Use DB
declare @mindate int
select @mindate = min(dateid) from dbo.Mytable
print @mindate

This does not work (Obviously)

Use DB
set dbo.Mytable = TB
declare @mindate int
select @mindate = min(dateid) from TB
print @mindate

I tried different things, but they're not even worth posting and clumping up this question with. Can't figure this one out on my own.

You can't use variables for object names unless you use dynamic SQL and add the table name in when you are building your sql statement. — GarethD, Jun 05 '14 at 15:01

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:26

Unfortunately table and column names are static if the query is static.

For dynamic SQL you will need to build the whole query dynamically and use sp_executesql to execute it.

Some information on the pros and cons of dynamic sql with more info on using dynamic sql found here.

An incredibly basic example:

DECLARE @fullsqlcommand varchar(1000)
SET @fullsqlcommand = 'SELECT * from yourtable'
EXEC(@sqlCommand)

These are useful stackexchange questions, I got my answer example from one of them:

SQL how to use alias to carry a table name through t-sql

1 Answers1