Home > Ask the Oracle Experts > SQL Questions & Answers > Matching one column value to part of another in SQL
Ask The Oracle Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

Matching one column value to part of another in SQL

Rudy Limeback EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Rudy Limeback

Pose a Question
Other Oracle Categories
Meet all Oracle Experts
Become an Expert for this site


Oracle tips, scripts, and expert advice
Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us    Add to Google


>
QUESTION POSED ON: 24 May 2007

I have a table with values such as these:

GLAccountID     GLAccountDesc
7100            7512 - LINEN DISPOSABLES
7143            7141 - DISPOSABLE SUPPLIES
7102            7100 - GENERAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES
7102            7102 - IV TUBING
7104            7104 - SUTURES
7130            7130 - IMPLANTS - FIXATION
7145            7145 - DISPOSABLE SUPPLIES

In this table, GLAccountDesc value should always start with its corresponding GLAccountID, a hyphen and then the description. How do I pull out all the rows where GLAccountDesc does not start with its corresponding GLAccountID?


>
EXPERT RESPONSE

This seems fairly straightforward:

select GLAccountID
     , GLAccountDesc
  from daTable
 where GLAccountID <> 
       substring(GLAccountDesc from 1 for 4)

Presumably it isn't quite so obvious if you have never used the SUBSTRING function in a comparison before.

To me, a more interesting solution is this one:

update daTable
   set GLAccountDesc = 
       substring(GLAccountDesc from 5)

Much more satisfying, don't you think? <wink>


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us    Add to Google


RELATED CONTENT
SQL
How to return a zero in SQL instead of no row back for a select count
How to write an SQL query using GROUP BY for row analysis
Using nested SQL string functions to find ERP customer values in a table
SQL to select rows 1000 through 3000 in a table
SQL query to combine rows
The SQL REPLACE function
CASE expressions in the ORDER BY clause
Finding a column value inside a user-supplied string
Update a specific column in a field or row?
Using BETWEEN with DATETIMEs in SQL

Oracle SQL
SQL to count values of a status code
Counting NULL columns
Detail rows for accounts that occur three times
Counting a row's NULL columns
Oracle's free SQL Developer adds database migration tool
Latest transaction if no recent prior transactions
Three ways SQL can count rows by type
SQL to select only certain times within a date range
Oracle SQL to test for numerics
Number of rows in multiple tables
Oracle SQL Research

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS
Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary
autonomous transaction  (SearchOracle.com)
CFML  (SearchOracle.com)
dynamic SQL  (SearchOracle.com)
foreign key  (SearchOracle.com)
Java Database Connectivity  (SearchOracle.com)
Open Database Connectivity  (SearchOracle.com)
Oracle  (SearchOracle.com)
stored procedure  (SearchOracle.com)
The Open Group  (SearchOracle.com)

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary



Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
Browse our Expert Advice

HomeNewsTopicsTipsAsk the ExpertsMultimediaWhite PapersProductsBlogs
About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
SEARCH 
TechTarget provides enterprise IT professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective IT purchase decisions and managing their organizations' IT projects - with its network of technology-specific Web sites, events and magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Reprints  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2003 - 2008, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts