How to put parameterized sql query into variable and then execute in Python?

Question

I understand that the correct way to format a sql query in Python is like this:

cursor.execute("INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)", var1, var2, var3)

so that it prevents sql injection. My question is if there is a way to put the query in a variable and then execute it? I have tried the example below but receive an error. Is it possible to do this?

sql="INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)", var1, var2, var3
cursor.execute(sql)

Answer 1

Here is the call signature for cursor.execute:

Definition: cursor.execute(self, query, args=None)
 query -- string, query to execute on server
 args -- optional sequence or mapping, parameters to use with query.

So execute expects at most 3 arguments (args is optional). If args is given, it is expected to be a sequence. so

sql_and_params = "INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)", var1, var2, var3
cursor.execute(*sql_and_params)

is not going to work, because

cursor.execute(*sql_and_params)

expands the tuple sql_and_params into 4 arguments (and again, execute only expects 3).

If you really must use

sql_and_params = "INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)", var1, var2, var3

then you'll have to break it apart when feeding it to cursor.execute:

cursor.execute(sql_and_params[0],sql_and_params[1:])

But I think it feels much more pleasant to just use two variables:

sql = "INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)"
args= var1, var2, var3
cursor.execute(sql, args)

Answer 2

You're pretty close.

sql_and_params = "INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)", var1, var2, var3
cursor.execute(*sql_and_params)

The asterisk means that the variable isn't to be considered as one parameter but instead unpacked into many parameters.

• bzupnick: why did you use , instead of %? For example to do this: sql_and_params = "INSERT INTO table VALUES (%s, %s, %s)" % (var1, var2, var3)
• Eric Hughes: @bzupnick using simple string formatting (the % operator), or substitution, would potentially allow SQL injection, not to mention failing to add quotation marks to the literals if needed. Parameterized queries are highly superior to formatted/substituted queries.

Answer 3

This worked for me. Querying Microsoft SQL Server using pyodbc.

cusotmer_list = ['ABC', '123']
# parameterized query placeholders
placeholders = ",".join("?" * len(customer_list))
# query table
query = 
"""
SELECT
[ID],
[Customer]
FROM xyz.dbo.abc
WHERE [Customer] IN (%s)
""" % placeholders
# read query results in pandas dataframe
df = pd.read_sql(sql=query, con=cnxn, params=customer_list)

Answer 4

the best way for pass parameters to SQL query in Python is:

"INSERT INTO table VALUES (:1, :2, :3) ", [val1, val2, val3]

or another example:

"UPDATE table T SET T.column2 = :1 where T.column1= :2 ", [val1,val2]