ted.byers:

Your SQL statements aren't actually formed properly, because you're using double-quoting and there's an unescaped '%' inside the text. So your SQL probably turned out to be something like:

select ...
where  ...
OR mdf_20 LIKE '_a4bbf326102e3064a8d9e06558c4b5e2020ee353HASH(0x826998
+)'
                                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+^
[download]

Your prepared statements have a different problem: you don't need to have quote characters in your arguments. It's likely turning into something like:

select ...
where  ...
OR mdf_20 LIKE '''_a4bbf326102e3064a8d9e06558c4b5e2020ee353HASH(0x8269
+98)'''
                ^^                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^
+^^^^^
[download]

So first, be sure that you don't use the @ or % character inside double-quotes without escaping them. Second, go ahead and work with the parameterized version of the code, as it'll be better in the long term, and will be no more trouble to get running than the hardcoded version. I tweaked your second listing to be:

$sql = "SELECT action_id
  FROM transactions LEFT JOIN actions 
      ON transactions.transaction_id = actions.transaction_id
    LEFT JOIN merchants ON merchant_id = idmerchants
  WHERE mdf_20 = ? 
    AND action_type IN ('capture','sale')
    AND ABS(amount) = ABS(?) AND success = 1 
    AND processor_settlement_date IS NULL
    ORDER BY transaction_date;";
my $sth = $dbh->prepare($sql);
$sth->bind_param(1, '1442a29888840b0b9505d34da6cd8897d153976d');
$sth->bind_param(2, 49.95);
$sth->execute;
my $aref = $sth->fetchrow_array if (defined $aref);
print join(', ', @$aref),"\n";
$sth->bind_param(1, 'a4bbf326102e3064a8d9e06558c4b5e2020ee353');
$sth->bind_param(2, 4.95);
$sth->execute;
$aref = $sth->fetchrow_array;
print join(', ', @$aref),"\n";
$sth->finish;

my $like_cond = '';
$sql  = "SELECT action_id,transaction_date FROM profitorius.actions 
  WHERE transaction_id LIKE ? 
    AND ABS(amount) = ABS(?) AND success = 1 
    AND action_type IN ('capture','sale')
    AND processor_settlement_date IS NULL
    ORDER BY transaction_date;";
$sth = $dbh->prepare($sql);
$like_cond = '1442a29888840b0b9505d34da6cd8897d153976d%';
$sth->bind_param(1,$like_cond);
$sth->bind_param(2, 49.95);
$sth->execute;
$aref = $sth->fetchrow_array;
print join(', ', @$aref),"\n";

$like_cond = 'a4bbf326102e3064a8d9e06558c4b5e2020ee353%';
$sth->bind_param(1,$like_cond);
$sth->bind_param(2, 4.95);
$sth->execute;
$aref = $sth->fetchrow_array;
print join(', ', @$aref),"\n";
[download]

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.