Question

How can I use a table variable while executing a command string?

DECLARE @FileIDs TABLE 
(
   File_ID int
)
insert into @FileIDs select ID from Files where Name like '%bla%';

DECLARE @testquery as varchar(max);
set @testquery = 'select * from @FileIDs';
exec(@testquery);

returns the following error

Msg 1087, Level 15, State 2, Line 1
Must declare the table variable “@FileIDs”.

Answer 1

The table @FileIDs is not in the scope of exec(@testquery).

That’s why you have that problem.

---

To solve this problem you may use a temporary table:

CREATE table #FileIDs
(
   File_ID int
)
insert into #FileIDs select ID from Files where Name like '%bla%'; 

DECLARE @testquery as varchar(max);
set @testquery = 'select * from #FileIDs';
exec(@testquery);

drop table #FileIDs

or put the table in the scope:

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(2000)

SET @sql='DECLARE @FileIDs TABLE (   File_ID int);'
SET @sql=@sql+'insert into @FileIDs select ID from Files where Name like ''%bla%'';'
set @sql=@sql+ 'select * from @FileIDs;'
EXECUTE sp_executesql @sql