How to check if a table or a column exists in a database?

Question

I am trying to make simple java code that will check if a table and/or a column exists in a MySQL DB. Should I use Java code to do the checking or make a SQL query string an

Answer 1

In Apache Derby (SQL)

E.g. check if column exists:

SELECT ss.SCHEMANAME, st.TABLENAME, sc.COLUMNNAME FROM SYS.SYSSCHEMAS ss
INNER JOIN SYS.SYSTABLES st ON st.SCHEMAID = ss.SCHEMAID AND st.TABLENAME = 
INNER JOIN SYS.SYSCOLUMNS sc ON sc.REFERENCEID = st.TABLEID AND sc.COLUMNNAME = 
WHERE ss.SCHEMANAME =