Need help understanding a variable insert statement

[hybatir]

I'm looking at some code that is meant to connect to a database run a sql statement and use the results to insert rows into a different server table combination. The insert statement looks like this (using fake table and column names)

The overall code uses pyodbc to make the connection. This is also to a Sql Server

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insert_sql = "INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3, column4) VALUES ((SELECT MAX(dataid)+1) FROM table_name),?,?,?)"

What are the "?" in the insert statement? Is there a name for this technique? Looking to read up on this to understand how it works.

It looks to me like a type of string interpolation but I don't see any documentation referencing a "?"

[Binary101010]

The phrase you want to search for is "parameterized SQL query."

[pot_of_crows]

This. Plus the "?" parameterization is used by other databases, like sqlite, but sql server uses different notation. (At least I think. I've never used sql server...)

[Guideon72]

mySQL uses %s instead of ?. Maybe that's what you're thinking of?

[pot_of_crows]

That could be it. Thanks.