my $kind = $query->param('kind'); my $searchterm = $query->param('searchterm'); my $searchfield; if ($kind == 0) { $searchfield = 'user_id'; } elsif ($kind == 1) { $searchfield = 'lastname'; } elsif ($kind == 2) $searchfield = 'business'; } my $stmt = " SELECT * FROM users WHERE $searchfield = ? ORDER by $searchfield"; my $sth = $dbh->prepare($stmt); $sth->execute($searchterm);