Using Like function to search fr results in a database!!

Question

Hi i have created a database for several different clinics in the uk in oracle sql developer. i tried writing the coding for a query but when i run it an error keeps occurring. i want this query to be as a pop up box appears, asks the user to enter the clinic number, and then the user clicks ok, the information for just that selected clinic will be displayed.
my coding is below and so is the error. please help with this error. thank you.
CODING
SELECT Clinics_Table.[ClinicNumber], Clinics_Table.[StreetName], Clinics_Table.[City], Clinics_Table.[County], Clinics_Table.[PostCode], Clinics_Table.[TelephoneNumber], Clinics_Table.[ClinicManager]
FROM Clinics_Table
WHERE (((Clinics_Table.[ClinicNumber]) Like "*" & [Enter Clinic Number] & "*"));
ERROR
Error starting at line 1 in command:
SELECT Clinics_Table.[ClinicNumber], Clinics_Table.[StreetName], Clinics_Table.[City], Clinics_Table.[County], Clinics_Table.[PostCode], Clinics_Table.[TelephoneNumber], Clinics_Table.[ClinicManager]
FROM Clinics_Table
WHERE (((Clinics_Table.[ClinicNumber]) Like "*" 3 Clinic Number] &"*"))
Error at Command Line:1 Column:21
Error report:
SQL Error: ORA-01747: invalid user.table.column, table.column, or column specification
01747. 00000 - "invalid user.table.column, table.column, or column specification"
*Cause:   
*Action:
please reply thank you

Answer 1

Obviously, double quotes are used to delimit Oracle names, so "" & Enter Clinic Number & "" is not interpreted as a literal. Now I assume you were trying to use SQL*Plus substitution variable that has a space in its name. Sorry, quoted name rules do not apply to SQL*Plus substitution variables - they can not have space in them. Anyway, you could do something like:
SELECT  Clinics_Table.ClinicNumber,
        Clinics_Table.StreetName,
        Clinics_Table.City,
        Clinics_Table.County,
        Clinics_Table.PostCode,
        Clinics_Table.TelephoneNumber,
        Clinics_Table.ClinicManager
  FROM  Clinics_Table
  WHERE Clinics_Table.ClinicNumber Like '&Clinic_Number';This will prompt you:
SQL> SELECT  Clinics_Table.ClinicNumber,
  2          Clinics_Table.StreetName,
  3          Clinics_Table.City,
  4          Clinics_Table.County,
  5          Clinics_Table.PostCode,
  6          Clinics_Table.TelephoneNumber,
  7          Clinics_Table.ClinicManager
  8    FROM  Clinics_Table
  9    WHERE Clinics_Table.ClinicNumber Like '&Clinic_Number';
Enter value for clinic_number: For example:
SQL> select ename from emp where empno like '&employee_number';
Enter value for employee_number: 7844
old   1: select ename from emp where empno like '&employee_number'
new   1: select ename from emp where empno like '7844'
ENAME
TURNER
SQL> select ename from emp where empno like '&employee_number';
Enter value for employee_number: 77%
old   1: select ename from emp where empno like '&employee_number'
new   1: select ename from emp where empno like '77%'
ENAME
CLARK
SCOTT
SQL> SY.