How can I replace an empty string with a NULL value? 2

[RebLazer]

I have a varchar variable: [tt]@NAME[/tt]. Is there a very concise way to check if it contains an empty string - and, if it does, replace it with a NULL?

I'd think it's something like this:
replace (@NAME, '', NULL)
but, alas, this always returns a NULL, even if the string has a regular (i.e. non-empty) value...

Thanks very much,
Lazer

 

[checkai]

set @name = isnull(@name,'')

 

[checkai]

if @name = ''
set @name = NULL


Something like this????

 

[RebLazer]

Checkai,

Thanks for the lighting fast response(s)!

Well, not exactly...

[tt]declare @name varchar(50)
set @name = ''
select isnull(@name, '')[/tt]

I need the above to return a NULL - and it returns an empty string...

Thanks,
Lazer

 

[checkai]

declare @name varchar(50)
set @name = NULL
select @name as Name

DLC

 

[RebLazer]

Checkai,

I know how to set a variable to null. This is the issue: I have a @name variable - it could contain any varchar value. I, therefore, don't want to indiscriminately set it to null. I only want it set to null if the value is an empty string ('').

Lazer

 

[checkai]

If isnull(@Name,'') = ''
Set @Name = NULL
else
--Do Nothing, right?

or

Select case when isnull(@Name,'') = '' then NULL else @name end as Name

dlc

 

[RebLazer]

Checkai,

[tt]Select case when isnull(@Name,'') = '' then NULL else @name end as Name[/tt]

Of course - a case statement! Thanks so much for all of your efforts!

Lazer

 

[swampBoogie]

select nullif(@name,'') as Name

nullif is a shorthand for the case expression used in the previous post.

 

[RebLazer]

SwampBoogie - that is exactly what I was looking for![star]!


Lazer