solved for mysql with:

UPDATE mytable SET field=CONCAT('<h2>' , REPLACE(field,'<h2></h2>','</h2>'))

WHERE field LIKE '%<h2></h2>'

................

for sql this might work:

UPDATE mytable SET field=('<h2>' + REPLACE(field,'<h2></h2>','</h2>'))

WHERE field LIKE '%<h2></h2>'

Thanks for the help, guys!

Thanks....

DECLARE @x VARCHAR(50)

SET @x='Maryland<h2></h2>'

SELECT * , '<h2>'+ REPLACE(@x,'<h2></h2>','</h2>')

FROM 'node_revisions'

WHERE @x LIKE '%<h2></h2>'

gives me syntax error still...

yes - is the syntax different? I was under the impression it is the same...

I copied/pasted Lutz's query, adding * FROM 'table' to the SELECT...

DECLARE @x VARCHAR(50)

SET @x='Maryland<h2></h2>'

SELECT * FROM 'table' '<h2>'+ REPLACE(@x,'<h2></h2>','</h2>')

WHERE @x LIKE '%<h2></h2>'

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL...

Thanks for trying guys - and sorry for the delay replying. I appreciate your time and efforts.

I got sidetracked putting out some other fires today - and just to save...

I see that - but getting syntax errors

I appreciate the help, you guys...

Yes, I'm trying it using wildcards - % - with no success so far

Thanks, Lutz

I can do the same thing with

UPDATE table set teaser=replace(teaser, '<h2></h2>', '</h2>')

to change

Maryland<h2></h2>

Maine<h2></h2>

etc....

to

Maryland</h2>

Maine</h2>

etc...

The second step of adding an opening <h2> tag to the beginning of the...

There are nine fields in the table.

That particular field - "teaser" -does contain other strings in most rows, but in those 50 rows the data is exactly as:

Maryland<h2></h2>

Maine<h2></h2>

Louisiana<h2></h2>

Kentucky<h2></h2>

Kansas<h2></h2>

Iowa<h2></h2>

...and so on......