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Thread: MySQL Syntax error in Java prepared statement

  1. #1
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    Default MySQL Syntax error in Java prepared statement

    Hi,
    I am writing a servlet using NetBeans that finds scores from a mySQL database. I have a simple select using a prepared statement. But I get the following error.

    INFO: com.mysql.jdbc.exceptions.MySQLSyntaxErrorExceptio n: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ''csci1301'' at line 1

    I don't see what is wrong.

            response.setContentType("text/html;charset=UTF-8");
            PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
            String ssn;
            String tableName;
            String studentName="";
            int score = 0;
            try {
                /*
                 * TODO output your page here. You may use following sample code.
                 */
                out.println("<html>");
                out.println("<head>");
                out.println("<title>Servlet Exercise39_7</title>");            
                out.println("</head>");
                out.println("<body>");
                ssn = request.getParameter("ssn");
                tableName = request.getParameter("course");
                String queryString = "select * from ? ";
     
                pstmt = conn.prepareStatement(queryString);
                pstmt.setString(1, tableName);
                ResultSet rset = pstmt.executeQuery();
                while (rset.next()) {
                  if (rset.getString("ssn").equals(ssn)){
                     out.println(rset.getString(studentName) + " " + rset.getInt(score));
                  }
                }

    Any help would be appreciated.


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    Super Moderator Sean4u's Avatar
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    Default Re: MySQL Syntax error in Java prepared statement

    The table name isn't a parameter - you can't do that with PreparedStatement. You can either build your query string first (injection danger), use a stored procedure of some kind (maybe), or take another look at your DB schema: do you really want one table per course?

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Sean4u For This Useful Post:

    kc120us (March 21st, 2012)

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    Default Re: MySQL Syntax error in Java prepared statement

    Quote Originally Posted by Sean4u View Post
    The table name isn't a parameter - you can't do that with PreparedStatement. You can either build your query string first (injection danger), use a stored procedure of some kind (maybe), or take another look at your DB schema: do you really want one table per course?
    Thank you for your help. I was able to get it working by creating the query string first by concatenating the select string with the table name variable and using a Statement instead of the PreparedStatement. What did you mean by 'injection danger'? The exercise says to have each course in a table where the table name is the course name.

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    Default Re: MySQL Syntax error in Java prepared statement

    Quote Originally Posted by kc120us View Post
    What did you mean by 'injection danger'?
    See SQL injection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    As a simple example, imagine the following scenario with your database having a table named users...

     
    tableName = request.getParameter("course");
    String queryString = "select * from " + tableName;

    ...in which the value of tableName is the following: "course=users;drop table users;"

    In the context above this most likely would not work, but it opens the door wide for alternative approaches

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    Default Re: MySQL Syntax error in Java prepared statement

    I see what you are saying. Thank you for the information and explaining the security issue.

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