SQL Wildcard Operators are used with SQL LIKE operator,
which is used to compare a value to alike values using wildcard operators.
SQL supports two wildcard operators in combination with
the LIKE operator:
·The percent sign (%): Matches one or more
characters. Note that MS Access uses the asterisk (*) wildcard character
instead of the percent sign (%) wildcard character.
- The underscore (_): Matches one character. Note that MS Access uses a question mark (?) instead of the underscore (_) to match any one character.
Syntax:The basic syntax of '%' and '_' is as follows:
·
SELECT FROM table_name WHERE column LIKE 'XXXX%'
·
SELECT FROM table_name WHERE column LIKE
'%XXXX%'
AND
·
SELECT FROM table_name WHERE column LIKE
'XXXX_'
·
SELECT FROM table_name WHERE column LIKE
'_XXXX'
Example: Here are number of examples showing WHERE part having
different LIKE clause with '%' and '_' operators:
·
SELECT * FROM
EMP_DETSILS WHERE SALARY LIKE '90%' Select values that start with 90
·
SELECT * FROM
EMP_DETSILS WHERE SALARY LIKE '%90%' Select
values that have 90 in it
·
SELECT * FROM
EMP_DETSILS WHERE
SALARY LIKE '_90%'
Select
values that have 90 in the second and third positions
·
SELECT * FROM
EMP_DETSILS WHERE SALARY LIKE '_1%5' Select values that have a 1 in the second
position and end with a 5
·
SELECT * FROM
EMP_DETSILS WHERE SALARY LIKE '1___5' Select
values in a five-digit number that start
with 1 and end with 5
