how use replace in exec statement in sql server 2008 - sql

Question

I have a stored proc, say, "call_Me" with few parameters:
Declare #Greet varchar(100) = 'Hi ||User||'
Exec Call_Me 1,'something', #Greet --parameters: bit, string, string
during the call, I want to be able to replace the
||User||
bit with something else. normally, in a select statement, I would do this:
select 1, 'something', Replace(#Greet, '||User||', u.Username) from UserTable
which works fine, But today, for the first time, I am trying to use it in exec statement, the error says its expecting select, I tried adding select in every possible (and sensible) way but it just didnt seem to work out.
How can I use a replace during an execute statement call?
Many thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You'd need to format #Greet before passing it to the sproc:
Declare #Greet varchar(100) = 'Hi ||User||'
SELECT #Greet = Replace(#Greet, '||User||', u.Username)
FROM UserTable u
WHERE Id = 1
Exec Call_Me 1,'something', #Greet --parameters: bit, string, string

Answer 2

You can only use a literal or a variable reference in a procedure call:
[ { EXEC | EXECUTE } ]
{
[ #return_status= ]
{ module_name [ ;number ] | #module_name_var }
[ [ #parameter= ] { value
| #variable [ OUTPUT ]
| [ DEFAULT ]
}
]
[ ,...n ]
[ WITH RECOMPILE ]
}
[;]
Use this:
Declare #Greet varchar(100) = 'Hi ||User||'
Declare #param VARCHAR(100) = REPLACE(#Greet, '||User||', 'replacement')
Exec Call_Me 1,'something', #param

Answer 3

I am not sure if I understand correctly your problem, but maybe using cursor solves your problem:
DECLARE CURSOR users LOCAL FAST_FORWARD FOR
SELECT
username
FROM
usertable
OPEN
DECLARE #username NVARCHAR(50)
DECLARE #Greet VARCHAR(100) = 'Hi ||User||'
FETCH NEXT FROM users INTO #username
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0 BEGIN
EXEC Call_Me 1, 'something', REPLACE(#Greet, '||User||', #username)
FETCH NEXT FROM users INTO #username
END
CLOSE users
DEALLOCATE users
If you don't need to call it in loop you can try something like (this can be a new stored procedure):
DECLARE #username NVARCHAR(50)
DECLARE #Greet VARCHAR(100) = 'Hi ||User||'
SELECT
#username = username
FROM
usernames
WHERE
user_id = 1
IF ##ROWCOUNT = 1 BEGIN
EXEC Call_Me 1, 'something', REPLACE(#Greet, '||User||', #username)
END