incorrect binding errors.

     def convert(self,external_ID):
         """Convert external id to the twopenny blue ID"""
         print select_cmd, external_ID
         candidates = self.cursor.execute('select * from 
external_internal where (external_ID="?") ;',external_ID)
         result = candidates.fetchone()
         if result is not None:
             return result[1]
         return None
yields

debug: /tmp/sample
debug: select * from external_internal where (external_ID=?) ;
debug: [email protected]

Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "db_utils.py", line 340, in ?
     main2()
   File "db_utils.py", line 337, in main2
     res = ts.convert('[email protected]')
   File "db_utils.py", line 181, in convert
     candidates = self.cursor.execute("select * from external_internal 
where (external_ID='?') ;",external_ID)
pysqlite2.dbapi2.ProgrammingError: Incorrect number of bindings 
supplied. The current statement uses 0, and there are 15 supplied.

if I eliminate the quotes from around the ?, it tells me:

Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "db_utils.py", line 340, in ?
     main2()
   File "db_utils.py", line 337, in main2
     res = ts.convert('[email protected]')
   File "db_utils.py", line 181, in convert
     candidates = self.cursor.execute("select * from external_internal 
where (external_ID=esj) ;")
pysqlite2.dbapi2.OperationalError: no such column: esj


which is correct as far as it goes but why is it looking for a column 
called esj?  esj s a fragment of what I'm looking for in a table

table definition.

external_internal = '''
external_ID         TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
internal_ID         TEXT
'''

this will probably make more sense in the morning but for now it's --- 
help??

--- eric
-- 
Speech-recognition in use.  It makes mistakes, I correct some.