Checking for a columns existence

I need to check if a particular column exists in a table. If it does then I need to use it in a calculation, otherwise I don't. Here is the sql statement I currently have. It complains when I try to use column I01 in the select statement, even though the if condition evaluates to false. Any suggestions?

IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.Columns
WHERE (TABLE_NAME = 'Test') AND column_name = 'I01')
SELECT 0
ELSE
SELECT I01 FROM TestCan you work it out by looking for the column name in the syscolumns database?|||Originally posted by andyabel
Can you work it out by looking for the column name in the syscolumns database?

It's the same problem. I can find whether it exists or not, but how do I use it in the select statement if it does? Apparently, it checks for the syntax of the query, before evaluating the IF condition.|||Maybe there's a setting that tells whether to verify all code clauses before running, or to verify only at run-time?
(Can't find it in BOL, though, but maybe someone else can)|||Can you fool the compiler by using exec()? e.g.:

declare @.string varchar(100)
set @.string='SELECT I01 FROM Names'
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.Columns
WHERE (TABLE_NAME = 'Test') AND column_name = 'I01')
SELECT 0
ELSE
exec (@.string)|||Originally posted by andyabel
Can you fool the compiler by using exec()? e.g.:

declare @.string varchar(100)
set @.string='SELECT I01 FROM Names'
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.Columns
WHERE (TABLE_NAME = 'Test') AND column_name = 'I01')
SELECT 0
ELSE
exec (@.string)

Thanks for all of your help guys, I think I got it to work.