I'm assuming the target database is Oracle and that the datatype of mytable.date is DATE.

If this is the case you have two options, option #1 is to write a stored procedure that accepts the two parameters; option #2 is to send the parameters alongside your query which arguable defeats the purpose(*).

Having said that, code below shows how to use bind-variables in your Oracle sql code.

VARIABLE STARTDATE VARCHAR2(11)

EXEC :STARTDATE := '01-JAN-2012'

VARIABLE ENDDATE VARCHAR2(11)

EXEC :ENDDATE := '10-JAN-2012'

SELECT *

FROM MYTABLE

WHERE MYTABLE.DATE BETWEEN TO_DATE(:STARTDATE, 'dd-mon-yyyy')

AND TO_DATE(:ENDDATE, 'dd-mon-yyyy')

;

Hope this helps.

(*) exception would be a really well organized environment where no literals are allowed on queries.