Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-30
How to Fix: Why is passing a column name as a parameter in PyMySQL not working
PyMySQL parameterized queries issue.
Quick Answer: Use named placeholders instead of positional parameters.
📋 Table of Contents
In PyMySQL, when using parameterized queries, it's essential to note that the %s placeholders are used for string values only. When passing a column name as a parameter, you need to wrap it in backticks (`) or use the format() method.
💡 Why You Are Getting This Error
- [Cause]
🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
Method 1: Using Backticks
- Step 1: Replace `%s` with `org_id` and wrap it in backticks (`) like this: `SELECT alert_name FROM alerts WHERE org_id = %s AND trigger_column = %s`. This will ensure that the column name is treated as a literal value.
Method 2: Using Format() Method
- Step 1: Replace `%s` with the format `org_id`, like this: `SELECT alert_name FROM alerts WHERE org_id = %(org_id)s AND trigger_column = %s`. Then, when executing the query, use the `cursor.execute()` method with a dictionary to pass the values, like this: `cursor.execute(
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Step 1: Replace `%s` with `org_id` and wrap it in backticks (`) like this: `SELECT alert_name FROM alerts WHERE org_id = %s AND trigger_column = %s`. This will ensure that the column name is treated as a literal value.
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