Mysql - differing Column name in SELECT query

Question

I'm currently preparing a major Program-Update and ran into following problem: I've got a Table in a Mysql-Database that looks (roughly) like this:

+-----------------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+
| Field                 | Type         | Null | Key | Default | Extra          |
+-----------------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+
| ID                    | int(15)      | NO   | PRI | NULL    | auto_increment |
| Versionnumber         | decimal(5,3) | NO   | UNI | NULL    |                |
| ChangeLog             | text         | NO   |     | NULL    |                |
| ReleaseDate           | datetime     | NO   |     | NULL    |                |
| Enabled               | tinyint(1)   | NO   |     | 1       |                |
+-----------------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+

Now I've changed the Columnname of the (former) Column 'ID' to 'VersionID'. This means the table now looks like this:

+-----------------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+
| Field                 | Type         | Null | Key | Default | Extra          |
+-----------------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+
| VersionID             | int(15)      | NO   | PRI | NULL    | auto_increment |
| Versionnumber         | decimal(5,3) | NO   | UNI | NULL    |                |
| ChangeLog             | text         | NO   |     | NULL    |                |
| ReleaseDate           | datetime     | NO   |     | NULL    |                |
| Enabled               | tinyint(1)   | NO   |     | 1       |                |
+-----------------------+--------------+------+-----+---------+----------------+

Now my question is the following: Is there a way to perform for example a 'SELECT' query without knowing exactly wether the Columnname is 'VersionID' or 'ID'? Something like (pseudo code)

SELECT (ID OR VersionID) AS VersionID FROM versions;

So what I'd need is something like a "Or-Clause" for the Columnname. Does something like that exist?

Thanks for your help!

No. You need to know the column names before you run the statement — user330315
– user330315, Commented Jun 18, 2012 at 12:00
I the column name dosen't exist it throws an error, even if you wrap it in a case statement. — user1416258
– user1416258, Commented Jun 18, 2012 at 12:19
There is no real 'criteria for choosing one or the other Column' since in fact only the one OR the other does exist. If both Columns may exist I would expect to get an error. Maybe again the background: I'm definitely changing the Column name from 'ID' to 'VersionID' at some point. My goal is to have the Mysql-Statement independent from that change. It should work as well with the 'ID-Column' as with the 'VersionID-Column'. — user1288392
– user1288392, Commented Jun 19, 2012 at 8:52

Rish · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-18 12:04:32Z

1

No I think You cannot do this . Use SELECT * FROM to know the name of the coloumn

answered Jun 18, 2012 at 12:04

Rish

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