Question

This is a Query in VBA (Access 2007) I have 3 strings defined:

str_a = 'db.col1 = 5' str_b = ' and db.col2 = 123' str_c = ' and db.col3 = 42' 

Then I use these in the WHERE part of my Query:

'WHERE '' & str_a & '' '' & str_b & '' '' & str_c & '' ;' 

This fails, but If I paste in the strings like this:

'WHERE db.col1 = 5 and db.col2 = 123 and db.col3 = 42;' 

It works perfectly. I’m guessing the syntax is wrong when using multiple variables in a string.
Anyone have any hints?

Answer 1

'WHERE '' & str_a & '' '' & str_b & '' '' & str_c & '' ;' 

will include single quotes within your completed WHERE clause. And the working version you showed us has none:

'WHERE db.col1 = 5 and db.col2 = 123 and db.col3 = 42;' 

So, try constructing the WHERE clause with no single quotes:

'WHERE ' & str_a & ' ' & str_b & ' ' & str_c & ';' 

For debugging purposes, it’s useful to view the final string after VBA has finished constructing it. If you’re storing the string in a variable named strSQL, you can use:

Debug.Print strSQL 

to display the finished string in the Immediate Window of the VB Editor. (You can get to the Immediate Window with the CTRL+g keyboard shortcut.)

Alternatively, you could display the finished string in a message box window:

MsgBox strSQL