Excluding columns from mysql queries

[roneill]

Can any tell me if there is a way to SELECT all the columns in a table and leave some out.

eg if I have a table with 40 columns and I want to SELECT them all apart from 2 do I really have to write the sql mentioning each column in turn ?

SELECT * FORM table_name .....but not col1 and col2.

would be a great mysql command but I cannot seem to find out if one exists or not.

Thank-you

Ryan

[Anon]

You have to name all columns explicitly.

[Anon]

Does it really matter if you select the two other columns? You don't have to do anything with them in php just because they show up in a select *

[roneill]

Yes it does matter because the query is passed directly to an object that generates an excel file. There are 2 fields I do not want in this file. But I know I am asking the impossible now so I shall get typing!