Select query in SQL

Question

I have a very curious question. We have query to select records from table based on some condition. In general the syntax for the query is as below

SELECT * FROM TABLENAME WHERE COLUMNNAME='VALUE';

Now the question is that will this query will work if we interchange the position of COLUMNNAME and 'VALUE'.

Answer 1

Yes. The following will work:

SELECT * FROM TABLENAME WHERE 'VALUE' = COLUMNNAME;

Answer 2

Yes, it will. =)

Why did you not just try?

Answer 3

You mean

SELECT * FROM TABLENAME WHERE 'VALUE' = COLUMNNAME;

I tested it, it works on MSSQL Servver 2008

Answer 4

In fact, in Oracle at least, you can do some twisted but somewhat useful things like:

select *
from tablename
where 'VALUE' in (field1, field2, field3)