Question

I am using SQL Server 2008 and I have a variable @sqlFinal which is of type Varchar(500).

I fill the variable as the stored procedure runs. I want to dynamically return what is in the string to show the results

SELECT @sqlFinal = 'SELECT @Error_Return AS Final_Report'
--PRINT @sqlFinal
EXEC (@sqlFinal)

But I get the following error

Msg 137, Level 15, State 2, Line 1
Must declare the scalar variable “@Error_Return”.

Answer 1

I am assuming that @Error_Return is in the same scope as @SqlFinal?

If you just need to return the contents of @Error_Return, you can just execute this line:

SELECT @Error_Return as Final_Report

… making it a static SQL line rather than a dynamic one.

But if that’s not acceptable, you may have to use sp_executeSQL instead. This allows you to pass variables to the line you’re executing.

Declare @Error_Return VARCHAR(10)
Set @Error_return= 'Whatever'

exec sp_executesql N'SELECT @Error_Return as Final_Report', N'@Error_Return varchar(10)', @Error_Return