tsql - using internal stored procedure as parameter is where clause - tsql

Question

I'm trying to build a stored procedure that makes use of another stored procedure. Taking its result and using it as part of its where clause, from some reason I receive an error:
Invalid object name 'dbo.GetSuitableCategories'.
Here is a copy of the code:
select distinct top 6 * from
(
SELECT TOP 100 *
FROM [dbo].[products] products
where products.categoryId in
(select top 10 categories.categoryid from
[dbo].[GetSuitableCategories]
(
-- #Age
-- ,#Sex
-- ,#Event
1,
1,
1
) categories
ORDER BY NEWID()
)
--and products.Price <=#priceRange
ORDER BY NEWID()
)as d
union
select * from
(
select TOP 1 * FROM [dbo].[products] competingproducts
where competingproducts.categoryId =-2
--and competingproducts.Price <=#priceRange
ORDER BY NEWID()
) as d
and here is [dbo].[GetSuitableCategories] :
if (#gender =0)
begin
select * from categoryTable categories
where categories.gender =3
end
else
begin
select * from categoryTable categories
where categories.gender = #gender
or categories.gender =3
end

Answer 1

I would use an inline table valued user defined function. Or simply code it inline is no re-use is required
CREATE dbo.GetSuitableCategories
(
--parameters
)
RETURNS TABLE
AS
RETURN (
select * from categoryTable categories
where categories.gender IN (3, #gender)
)
Some points though:
I assume categoryTable has no gender = 0
Do you have 3 genders in your categoryTable? :-)
Why do pass in 3 parameters but only use 1? See below please
Does #sex map to #gender?
If you have extra processing on the 3 parameters, then you'll need a multi statement table valued functions but beware these can be slow

Answer 2

You can't use the results of a stored procedure directly in a select statement
You'll either have to output the results into a temp table, or make the sproc into a table valued function to do what you doing.
I think this is valid, but I'm doing this from memory
create table #tmp (blah, blah)
Insert into #tmp
exec dbo.sprocName