LEN()

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LEN()

Anuj Rathi

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June 14, 2010 at 8:43 pm

#233740

Comments posted to this topic are about the item LEN()

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UMG Developer SSChampion Points: 13482 More actions · Answer 1

Good question, thanks!

Though I probably would have had the second option be 5, 2, 3...

manish_sapkal SSC Rookie Points: 27 More actions · Answer 2

manish_sapkal

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Points: 27

June 14, 2010 at 11:38 pm

#1180196

what's new in this question ?????

Koen Verbeeck SSC Guru Points: 259115 More actions · Answer 3

One easy point for me!

Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
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cengland0 SSCertifiable Points: 6102 More actions · Answer 4

This one got me. I selected 5,5,5 because I'm used to having padding spaces with the CHAR datatype. That's why I use Varchar instead when the contents of the column doesn't contain a consistent number of characters.

if you were to select them without the LEN function, you would get

abcde ab... ab...

(the period was used to make spaces visible).

Andrew Watson-478275 SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4652 More actions · Answer 5

It's probably also worth pointing out that if you actually did want the physical length of the variables, you would use DATALENGTH() instead of LEN().

DugyC Hall of Fame Points: 3804 More actions · Answer 6

Aargh!! Again my initial reaction was "that's easy it's 5,2,2 as LEN ignores spaces"... and then "hmmm, but that's too easy, there must be a trick in there"... and after a bit of reading went against my initial conclusion...

Doh!! 🙁

Good lesson though... trust yourself!

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[font="Comic Sans MS"]"The difficult tasks we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer"[/font]

vianneamen Valued Member Points: 53 More actions · Answer 7

Thanx a lot

everyday I learn from you new things...

rjv_rnjn Hall of Fame Points: 3023 More actions · Answer 8

crussell-931424 (6/15/2010)
Yep, it only does an RTRIM, not an LTRIM.

This variation to the question may have been a better teaser 🙂

Daniel Bowlin SSC-Dedicated Points: 34566 More actions · Answer 9

rjv_rnjn (6/15/2010)
crussell-931424 (6/15/2010)
Yep, it only does an RTRIM, not an LTRIM.
This variation to the question may have been a better teaser 🙂

Good point. In a month or so, this RTRIM/LTRIM variation would be a good question, after everyone has forgotten this question, and its discussion.

webrunner SSC-Dedicated Points: 31882 More actions · Answer 10

F1Droid (6/15/2010)
Aargh!! Again my initial reaction was "that's easy it's 5,2,2 as LEN ignores spaces"... and then "hmmm, but that's too easy, there must be a trick in there"... and after a bit of reading went against my initial conclusion...
Doh!! 🙁
Good lesson though... trust yourself!

Yes, the same thing happened to me.

- webrunner

-------------------
A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html

SanjayAttray SSChampion Points: 13157 More actions · Answer 11

SanjayAttray

SSChampion

Points: 13157

June 15, 2010 at 7:56 am

#1180425

Easy basic programming RTRIM question.

SQL DBA.

Michael Poppers SSCrazy Points: 2151 More actions · Answer 12

UMG Developer (6/14/2010)
...I probably would have had the second option be 5, 2, 3...

Agreed. I think 5,2,5 makes no sense and should influence a decision in favor of 5,2,2.

Rose Bud Hall of Fame Points: 3147 More actions · Answer 13

As usual, I learn more from the discussion than the original question.

If this had been the question:

SET @aa = 'abcde';SET @bb = ' ab';SET @cc = 'ab '

I would have gotten it wrong.

(I meant no disrespect to the author of the question. My point was that a thread of "what if this" and "what if that" is always educational.)

Trey Staker SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4796 More actions · Answer 14

wware (6/15/2010)
As usual, I learn more from the discussion than the original question.
If this had been the question:
SET @aa = 'abcde';SET @bb = ' ab';SET @cc = 'ab '
I would have gotten it wrong.

I was a bit nervous before I answered the question that there was more to the question like what your example was.

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