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    SQL Wildcard Characters

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    Harihara Subramanian
    Wildcard characters can be used in SQL queries with the LIKE operator to match patterns in database values. The document describes several wildcard characters (%, _, [, ], -) and their uses in Microsoft Access and SQL Server. It provides examples of queries using wildcards to search names, cities, and other fields in a sample "Customers" database table.

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    SQL Wildcard Characters

    Uploaded by

    Harihara Subramanian
    108 views4 pages
    Wildcard characters can be used in SQL queries with the LIKE operator to match patterns in database values. The document describes several wildcard characters (%, _, [, ], -) and their uses in Microsoft Access and SQL Server. It provides examples of queries using wildcards to search names, cities, and other fields in a sample "Customers" database table.

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    SQL

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    Wildcard characters can be used in SQL queries with the LIKE operator to match patterns in database values. The document describes several wildcard characters (%, _, [, ], -) and their uses in Microsoft Access and SQL Server. It provides examples of queries using wildcards to search names, cities, and other fields in a sample "Customers" database table.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    108 views4 pages

    SQL Wildcard Characters

    Uploaded by

    Harihara Subramanian
    Wildcard characters can be used in SQL queries with the LIKE operator to match patterns in database values. The document describes several wildcard characters (%, _, [, ], -) and their uses in Microsoft Access and SQL Server. It provides examples of queries using wildcards to search names, cities, and other fields in a sample "Customers" database table.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    SQL Wildcard Characters

    A wildcard character is used to substitute one or more characters in a string.

    Wildcard characters are used with the SQL LIKE operator. The LIKE operator is used in a
    WHERE clause to search for a specified pattern in a column.

    Wildcard Characters in MS Access


    Symbol Description Example

    * Represents zero or more characters bl* finds bl, black, blue, and blob

    ? Represents a single character h?t finds hot, hat, and hit

    Represents any single character within


    [] h[oa]t finds hot and hat, but not hit
    the brackets

    Represents any character not in the


    ! h[!oa]t finds hit, but not hot and hat
    brackets

    - Represents a range of characters c[a-b]t finds cat and cbt

    2#5 finds 205, 215, 225, 235, 245, 255, 265, 275,
    # Represents any single numeric character
    285, and 295

    Wildcard Characters in SQL Server


    Symbol Description Example

    % Represents zero or more characters bl% finds bl, black, blue, and blob

    _ Represents a single character h_t finds hot, hat, and hit

    [] Represents any single character within the brackets h[oa]t finds hot and hat, but not hit

    ^ Represents any character not in the brackets h[^oa]t finds hit, but not hot and hat

    - Represents a range of characters c[a-b]t finds cat and cbt

    All the wildcards can also be used in combinations!

    Here are some examples showing different LIKE operators with '%' and '_' wildcards:

    LIKE Operator Description

    WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'a%' Finds any values that starts with "a"

    WHERE CustomerName LIKE '%a' Finds any values that ends with "a"
    WHERE CustomerName LIKE
    Finds any values that have "or" in any position
    '%or%'

    WHERE CustomerName LIKE '_r%' Finds any values that have "r" in the second position

    WHERE CustomerName LIKE Finds any values that starts with "a" and are at least 3 characters
    'a_%_%' in length

    WHERE ContactName LIKE 'a%o' Finds any values that starts with "a" and ends with "o"

    Demo Database

    Below is a selection from the "Customers" table in the Northwind sample database:

    CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country

    1 Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 12209 Germany


    Alfreds Futterkiste

    Ana Trujillo Avda. de la


    México
    2 Emparedados y Ana Trujillo Constitución 05021 Mexico
    D.F.
    helados 2222

    Antonio Moreno Antonio México


    3 Mataderos 2312 05023 Mexico
    Taquería Moreno D.F.

    4 Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK


    Around the Horn

    Christina
    5 Berglunds snabbköp Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S-958 22 Sweden
    Berglund

    Using the % Wildcard

    The following SQL statement selects all customers with a City starting with "ber":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE 'ber%';

    The following SQL statement selects all customers with a City containing the pattern "es":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE '%es%';
    Using the _ Wildcard

    The following SQL statement selects all customers with a City starting with any character,
    followed by "ondon":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE '_ondon';

    The following SQL statement selects all customers with a City starting with "L", followed by
    any character, followed by "n", followed by any character, followed by "on":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE 'L_n_on';

    Using the [charlist] Wildcard

    The following SQL statement selects all customers with a City starting with "b", "s", or "p":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE '[bsp]%';

    The following SQL statement selects all customers with a City starting with "a", "b", or "c":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE '[a-c]%';

    Using the [!charlist] Wildcard

    The two following SQL statements select all customers with a City NOT starting with "b",
    "s", or "p":

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City LIKE '[!bsp]%';

    Or:

    Example
    SELECT * FROM Customers
    WHERE City NOT LIKE '[bsp]%';
    Test Yourself With Exercises
    Exercise:

    Select all records where the second letter of the City is an "a".

    SELECT * FROM Customers

    WHERE City LIKE ' %';

    Start the Exercise

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