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SQL LIKE query Command

LIKE sql command is used to retrieve or match records in different combinations to get desired result with wildcard. We will try LIKE sql query command and how to use it in our MySQL tables. But the best way to use LIKE query command is to apply it in a text or varchar field along with wildcard %. Here is our table with all the records.

id	name	class	mark
1	John Deo	Four	75
2	Max Ruin	Three	85
3	Arnold	Three	55
4	Krish Star	Four	60
5	John Mike	Four	60
6	Alex John	Four	55

We will apply the LIKE command here like this to our name field.

SELECT * FROM student WHERE name LIKE '%John%'

id	name	class	mark
1	John Deo	Four	75
5	John Mike	Four	60
6	Alex John	Four	55

The above result shows that we will get all the names where John word is present in the record. It can be any where. Please note the use of symbol % in the query. This will match any number of character even zero character before or after the word John. So we are getting the names those starts with John also. We may require the names which only starts with John not inside the name. In other words we want records starting with John only. In this case we will remove the use of % at the left of word John. Here is the SQL with LIKE command.

SELECT * FROM student WHERE name LIKE 'John%'

id	name	class	mark
1	John Deo	Four	75
5	John Mike	Four	60

We can see the result above list out all the names starting with name John. To display the records which does not have specific word John as the beginning we have change our LIKE sql command a little by changing the % position to the end of the word. Here we will allow any character even zero character to the left of the desired word not to the right

SELECT * FROM student WHERE name LIKE '%John'

id	name	class	mark
6	Alex John	Four	55

The above result have desired word John at the end only.

Use of underscore ( _) as wildcard in string matching
We can use underscore as wildcard for one character space and use them along with Like statement and apply to fields. For example we want to collect all the account numbers ending with 044 in a five digit account number field. Here is the query for this.

SELECT * FROM account_master WHERE acc_no LIKE '__044'

We have used to underscores in our query to tell that first two digits can be any thing and it should end with 044.

Underscores as wildcard can be used at any location but one can replace one character only. We can use more than one underscore also inside our query.

This way we can use LIKE command with many other commands to get desired output.

Read how LOCATE command is used to search for records having a string in any place within a field.

Read how LIKE command is used in MSSQL database

Abhishek	12-04-2009
Good and useful
navid	11-05-2009
I wonder if I can use '%' as below for LIKE command: declare X nvarchar declare Y nvarcahr select * from dbo.~ where(X '%' like Y)-- <-this line is mentioned
manoj	06-06-2009
hey all I am using like command for accesing name as alphabetics I have written for that as select * from tbl)country where country like " Textbox1.text " but it is not working properly please guide me
Alex	08-06-2009
### to manoj SELECT * FROM TABLE_NAME WHERE country like '%HERE_GOES_MASK%' In that query, you should replace the TABLE_NAME with the name of the table you query data from. Also, HERE_GOES_MASK should be changed to the string you want to find
sivasankari	13-06-2009
hello sir, I want query for sql2005 with asp.net distinct concept
Noel	04-07-2009
@manoj - This is how your command should be: "Select * from tblcountry where country like '%" Textbox1.Text "%'" OR you could also remove the "%" before the Textbox1.Text or remove it after, it will depend on your usage. Hope this helps.
kichu	16-07-2009
How will i get names of all those people who have the string 'in' in their names?
Penny	27-08-2009
I need to find a specific literal in an Oracle table column which is described as a "long" datatype. How do I do this, since "like" command can't be used on "long" type columns (can't use "long" column in a where clause of a select statement)? I get the error message:"inconsistent datatypes: expected NUMBER got LONG". Please help!
Indranil	12-11-2009
I want to selet more than one row at a time ...I think query should be... SELECT * FROM TABLENAME WHERE FIELDNAME LIKE 'A%' But it selecting only the first one ...I 'm working in MSAccess...with Core JAVA-Swing Can u please help me SIR..........
Deepak	03-12-2009
To Kichu.. select * from Table_Name where first_name like '%in%'
Nar	03-12-2009
Question PHP/SQL: I have an EXEC that take all my contact list from my Database and put them into a variable. Now I want to select all contact starting with "A" as the last name. And show them into my contact list. I want to do it with all letters "A" , "B" , "C" ... Something like Iphone Contact list , all familly name are in alphatical order. So, can I select and show all name starting by a specific letter? how? thx for answerying
Regalla Naresh Reddy	21-12-2009
Hi...! The information is useful. I need somehelp. I want to get the information like SELECT * FROM employee WHERE name LIKE '%ram' where '%ram' is the value of other table which is similar to the value in the current table. Means i need to retrieve the information from the current table based up on the value of other table. Can you help how to acheive this .....?
smo	21-12-2009
select t1.field1,t1.field2,t2.field1.t2.field2 from t1,t2 where t1.keyfield=t2.keyfield and t2.name like '%Ram' Here t1 and t2 and two tables and linked by a keyfeild ( t1.keyfield=t2.keyfield)
Perwez Akhter	07-01-2010
Dear all, Hi! Can I run two like in single command line. If Yes Tell me how
Shah Viral	13-01-2010
Hello EveryOne i want to find the Partucular Person name, WHen i write Down in TextBox .. Thanks
smo	13-01-2010
You can run two like commands by using AND or OR combinations.
Designer	21-01-2010
how can i use like query to search for two words (statement) not only when word example : select # from table_name where column like'% hello world%'
a13	26-01-2010
"SELECT * FROM video WHERE category LIKE '%'."$_GET['category']".'%' ORDER BY video_id DESC LIMIT ...... I have no idea where is the problem but it seems that this sql can not work with this statement because the webpage is not loading after this statement can someone tell me where is the problem I know that get[category] is funny or animal
smo	26-01-2010
Try by printing the SQL to see what the value of category you are getting. You can also print the error message to see what has gone wrong.
Kingsonprisonic	30-01-2010
Like not working in vb 6.... please help code: Me.Data1.RecordSource = "select * from phone where name LIKE '% " Me.Text1.Text "%'" Me.Data1.Refresh all >,<,>=,<=,and,or,between etc works correctly but like not working..... what can i do?
manohar	04-02-2010
I want to check 4th digit of the account no is zero using sql query
Dimitree	24-02-2010
I like to search a general one suppose not the Exact one for that what query is use for Eg SELECT * FROM [reg1] WHERE ([Name] LIKE '%' @Name '%' ) This will display the name what u search in database I need the query for one are more search wht is that
sf09	03-03-2010
what if i would like to find person's name which contain 2 words only?
Chandrasekaran	09-03-2010
Hi, I am having the table with the column First Name. Where ever the first name contains 'is' I just wanted to remove these word in that record.
Richard	16-04-2010
HI all, I have 3 tables (A,B,C)and 2 querys in the first query I join two tables (A
praveen	29-04-2010
hi, thanks for the submission of this since this has helped me a lot... i was confused with the usage of % and _. but now its clear for me... thanks again... hope i will be more benefitted in future from here
Mahendran	22-07-2010
@ sf09 try combination of builtin functions like select name from tableName where len(name) - len(replace(name,, ')) = 1 this will work for you
chinelo	26-07-2010
hi, pls how do i write a query that should give me a result for all last_names that start with J, A and M?
Prince	29-08-2010
Hi, can you please tell me how to retrieve names that are starting from either A or B from names table?

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