CODEWITHSUNDEEP
mysqldate
user2761031
user2761031

Reputation: 41

In MySQL, Is it possible to set dates as column name

In MySQL, Is it possible to set dates as column name.
I am thinking about to create a table with last 3 week data where column names of all three weeks will be the first date of that week.
So if currante date is 25-09-2013 then my table should have 3 columns with column name as:
11-09-2013,28-09-2013 and 25-09-2013.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2258

Answers (4)

AdrianBR
AdrianBR

Reputation: 2588

You want to do that in the display layer.

select columns as 

if(date=curdate() - interval 1 day, result, null) as today_minus_1,
if(date=curdate() - interval 2 day, result, null) as today_minus_2,
if(date=curdate() - interval 2 day, result, null) as today_minus_3,

afterwards when you are displaying, rename them. I did something like that before to compare performance of campaigns, but column naming as date was done when creating the data table.

Upvotes: 0

ChrisBD
ChrisBD

Reputation: 9209

What is your justification for doing this?

If it is just so that the data looks more readable then that can be achieved by running a report that formats the data into the layout that you require.

Just store your data with a date tag on each entry, then retrieve it in 3 week blocks within your report.

Creating tables on the fly will add unnecessary overheads to your processing and complicate backup, replication and retrieval by other processes.

Upvotes: 0

duffymo
duffymo

Reputation: 308823

It might be possible, but I'd say it's a terrible, denormalized, unsustainable, brain dead design. I'd recommend rethinking it, knowing nothing about your requirements.

Upvotes: 1

Alma Do
Alma Do

Reputation: 37365

Sure, why not:

mysql> select 'foo' as `2013-09-25`;
+------------+
| 2013-09-25 |
+------------+
| foo        |
+------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

-just remember about backticks.

But, actually, if you want to produce some dynamic columns that is not a good idea - you'd better to use application for that.

Upvotes: 3

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