sql function help

[sarakmo]

Hello All:

I'm trying to select all the characters that appear before a hyphen. For example, I'd like to retrieve 'Sports' from a field with the value 'Sports - rating'

Any help!?

Thanks

 

[PHV]

A starting point:
SUBSTRING(columnName FROM 1 FOR POSITION('-' IN columnName)-1)

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[sarakmo]

Thanks you..what is 1? It creates an error:

Msg 156, Level 15, State 1, Line 2
Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'FROM'.

Your help is greatly appreciated

 

[PHV]

Which RDBMS ?
My guess is MS SQL Server
I suggest you post in a more specific forum.

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[sarakmo]

yes ms sql server is that bad?

 

[gmmastros]

>> is that bad?

Depends on who you ask.

Try this...

Select Left(ColumnName, CharIndex('-', ColumnName)-1)

-George

"the screen with the little boxes in the window." - Moron

 

[gmmastros]

When you ask additional questions in the future, you will likely get an acceptable answer faster if you post your question in the correct forum. The correct forum for this question is:

forum183



-George

"the screen with the little boxes in the window." - Moron

 

[PHV]

Depends on who you ask
I'd say Depends on WHERE you ask

 

[r937]

yup, it is definitely where you ask

ask an ANSI SQL question, get an ANSI SQL answer



r937.com | rudy.ca