Question

This is driving me nuts… What am I doing wrong here?

ArrayList<String> toAdd = new ArrayList<String>();
toAdd.add("password");
try{
    PreparedStatement pStmt = conn.prepareStatement("ALTER TABLE testTable ADD ? varchar(100)");
        for (String s : toAdd) {
            pStmt.setString(1, s);
            pStmt.execute();
        }
} catch (SQLException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

Results in…

02:59:12,885 ERROR [STDERR] com.mysql.jdbc.exceptions.jdbc4.MySQLSyntaxErrorException: 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 ”password’ varchar(100)’ at line 1

but…

ArrayList<String> toAdd = new ArrayList<String>();
toAdd.add("password");
try{
    Statement stmt = conn.prepareStatement();
        for (String s : toAdd) {
            stmt.execute("ALTER TABLE testTable ADD "+s+" varchar(100)");
        }
} catch (SQLException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

works perfectly… So does directly entering the text directly into the MySQL command line client.

mysql> alter table testTable add stringGoesHere varchar(100);
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.23 sec)
Records: 1  Duplicates: 0  Warnings: 0

What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

The MySQL manual clearly says that ? (parameter markers) are for binding data values only, not for column names.

Parameter markers can be used only
where data values should appear, not
for SQL keywords, identifiers, and so
forth.

So you will have to use your second approach.