LIKE statement: not exact match DB search

[nixoid]

I am trying to search a database in a not exact manner and know that I can use the like statement to help with this search of the database but do not know exactally how to do this. Any help?

[Psyrus]

Try:

SELECT * FROM TABLE_NAME WHERE COLUMN_NAME LIKE '*CRITERIA*'


TABLE_NAME is name of the table that you want to extract the data. Insert your table name here.

COLUMN_NAME is the name of the column. Insert your column name here.

* is a wild card character CRITERIA is the data you want and another * wildcard at the end.

For example: Say my table is named CONTACTS and the column is called NAME(contains first and last separated by a space) then I would use:

SELECT * FROM CONTACTS WHERE NAME LIKE 'John*'

This will return all names beginning with John, the last name is the wildcard.


Psyrus

[Gen-X]

The wildcards depend on what Database you are running the Query on.

If you are using SQL Server then the wildcards are :

% - (Percent) Match none or more characters
_ - (Underscore) Match EXACTLY one character


LIKE '%ed' will find : (ends in)

fred
bed

LIKE '%ed%' will find : (contains)

fred
bed
medical

LIKE '_ed' will find : (3 letter word, any 1st letter)

bed
ted
wed

sName = "John"
rs.movefirst
Do
  rs.FindNext("Name Like '*" & sName & "*'")
  If rs.EOF Then
     MsgBox "Damn got that one Wrong"
     Exit Do
  End If
  '
  ' Is this the record you want sort of testing
  '
  Exit Do
Loop

...or something similar. Psyrus answer is good if you want to extract all records from a Table which match a criteria for processing. The above code is good if you are seeking a single instance.

Hope this Helps

[nixoid]

Thanks for your help Psyrus, Gen-X, and Jethro. I went with the approach Gen X submitted. I forgot to mention that it was a SQL database. Hope I am able to get the same levle of quality responses in the future.

Nixoid