Stored procedure variables

Hello Informix gurus, We have a question about stored procedures. We are running version 9.3 = of IDS on AIX 5.1. We would like to pass into a stored procedure the = name of a database that would be used in the SQL of the procedure. For = example: -------------------------------------------- create procedure rob_proc (dbname char(18)) returning smallint; define isitthere smallint; select count(*) into isitthere from dbname:systables where =tabname=3D'tsk_task'; return isitthere; end procedure; -------------------------------------------- We would like to put the value stored in the parameter dbname in front = of the reference to systables; e.g., if we pass in 'rob' as the dbname, = how would we make the SQL look like=20 select count(*) into isitthere from rob:systables where =tabname=3D'tsk_task'; When we put 'dbname' in it (dbname:systables) the engine tries to find a = database named 'dbname'. We would like to have the value stored in = dbname inserted there. I guess the korn shell script equivalent of what = we are trying to do would be: select count(*) into isitthere from ${dbname}:systables where =tabname=3D'tsk_task'; Does anyone know how to put the variable in so that it's value is = inserted? We've tried a colon (like ESQL/C), a dollar sign, a percent = sign, etc. We've checked manuals and reference books and still can't = figure it out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Rob Schmitz 913-345-6281 Rob.B.Schmitz@mail.sprint.com