Assign function result to a table variable

Question

The SQL Server (2000/2005) function gets the table name and the field name as parameters and returns results from a dynamic query within the function. The results should be assigned to a Table variable which will be used further in a stored procedure. How to achieve this?

I am getting error: "Only functions and extended stored procedures can be executed from within a function."

Declare @Data as table (FieldValue varchar(100))
insert into @Data select * from MyFunction ('Person.Address','AddressID')     

-- Function
Alter function MyFunction (
   @TableName varchar(100), @FieldName varchar(100) 
) returns @GetData table (
   FieldValue  varchar(100) 
) as
begin
        Declare @SQL varchar(250)
        Set @SQL = 'Select '+@FieldName+ ' from '+ @TableName
        Exec sp_executesql @SQL     
        return
end

Answer 1

just to close the loop...

here is the syntax for calling the function and putting those results in a table variable

small build on @simons solution

this ran on sql2012 and sql2014.

[ dont forget to close off the table statement. Easy enough to do if you have the table all on a single line. ]

declare @t table(field1  nvarchar(100) )

insert @t select * from dbo.Cool_1Field_Function( 'parm1' ,'parm2')
select * from @t

Answer 2

You can't use "exec" in a user defined function. UDFs must be side effect free.