1.DECLARE @sql nvarchar(4000), -- nvarchar(MAX) on SQL 2005.

@col sysname,

@min varchar(20)

SELECT @col = N'au_fname'

SELECT @sql = N'SELECT @min = convert(varchar(20), MIN(' + @col +

N')) FROM authors'

EXEC sp_executesql @sql, N'@min varchar(20) OUTPUT', @min OUTPUT

SELECT @min