string Comparison.

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string Comparison.

JohnyRotten

Ten Centuries

Points: 1014
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March 14, 2011 at 2:52 am

#104046

Maybe this is a widely known topic, but not for me.
I found some strange behavior.
A table with Customer names, where in some cases trailing blanks where inserted. I wanted to know which names had trailing blanks. (Coumn type = NVARCHAR)
so....
SELECT * FROM dbo.Customers
WHERE RTRIM(LTRIM(name)) <> name
No matches was the result. Huh?
I know there are some.
So i tried the same with LIKE operater.
There you go! 47 records in my case.
Then i tried
SELECT * FROM dbo.Customers
WHERE RTRIM(LTRIM(name))+'*' <> name+'*'
Hm. There are my 47 records.
Since when is this true?
SELECT 1 WHERE 'test' = 'test '
Is this a Database setting or what?
Any Explanations on this?
Thanks for enlighten me 😉

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Henrico Bekker One Orange Chip Points: 27652 More actions · Answer 1

try the following:

select LEN(string2),len(RTRIM(LTRIM(string2))) from yourtablename

and compare the length it records.

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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle

JohnyRotten Ten Centuries Points: 1014 More actions · Answer 2

Thanks for the info.

I allready know there are different ways to solve this. that was not my problem

I was curious if anyone knew this behaviour, and why it works this way. I could'nt find this in BOL.

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

JohnyRotten (3/14/2011)
Since when is this true?
SELECT 1 WHERE 'test' = 'test '

In SQL always.

SQL ignores trailing spaces when doing string comparisons. If it didn't, there would be all sorts of fun in comparing a char(4) to a char(10) (seeing as char is space-padded to its full length)

If you want to compare lengths of strings, use DATALENGTH (not LEN, as that too ignores trailing spaces). In general though don't worry too much about trailing spaces, seeing as SQL ignores them for comparison, filters and joins. Unless you're also working with something that doesn't (like SSIS)

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 4

Henrico Bekker (3/14/2011)
try the following:
select LEN(string2),len(RTRIM(LTRIM(string2))) from yourtablename
and compare the length it records.

However note (from Books Online)

LEN (Transact-SQL)
Returns the number of characters of the specified string expression, excluding trailing blanks.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Henrico Bekker One Orange Chip Points: 27652 More actions · Answer 5

Ahh, excellent thanx Gail, I learnt something as well from this question.

Great stuff!

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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle

JohnyRotten Ten Centuries Points: 1014 More actions · Answer 6

Thanks you Gail.

Now this makes sense.

I didn't realize this behaviour till now.

Thanks for enlighten me. 🙂

SGT_squeequal SSCertifiable Points: 7167 More actions · Answer 7

Hi if you want to search in your table where the name filed has a leading or trailing space you could use the following

select * from table

where patindex('% %',collumn)>0

if there is a space anywhere in the collum a result will be returned

***The first step is always the hardest *******