select * from $schema.app_table where col1 = $name

##</code><code>##

open SQLFILE, $sqlFile or die "Cannot open file $sqlFile : $!\n";
$sqlRef = <SQLFILE>;
$sth =$dbh ->prepare($sqlRef);
$sth -> execute();

##</code><code>##

:: DBD::Oracle::db prepare failed: ORA-00911: invalid character (DBD ERROR: error possibly near <*> indicator at char (<*>$schema.app_table)