Alphanumeric characters are alphabetic characters and numeric characters.
Below are examples of using SQL to return rows that contain only alphanumeric characters.
Continue readingAuthor: Ian
3 Ways to Get the First Day of the Month in MySQL
Here are three methods we can use to return the first day of a given month in MySQL.
This could be the first day of the current month, or the first day of the month based on a date that we specify.
Getting the first day of the month allows us to perform further calculations on the resulting date, like adding a certain number of days to the start of the month, etc.
Continue readingSQL ISNULL() Explained
Some RDBMSs provide an ISNULL() function that can be used when dealing with potentially null values.
MySQL, MariaDB, and Oracle Database each have an ISNULL() function that returns 1 if its argument is null, and 0 if it’s not.
SQL Server also has an ISNULL() function, but it works differently. It works more like how the IFNULL() function works in some other RDBMSs.
Other RDBMSs, such as PostgreSQL and SQLite don’t include an ISNULL() function, but they do support the IS NULL predicate (as do the other RDBMSs).
PostgreSQL COALESCE() Explained
In PostgreSQL, the COALESCE() operator returns the first non-null value from its list of arguments. If all arguments are null, it returns null.
Add Seconds to a Time Value in SQLite
In SQLite, we can use the TIME() function to add a given number of seconds to a time value.
If we’re dealing with datetime values, we can use the DATETIME() function.
MySQL CASE Statement
In MySQL, the CASE statement can be used in stored programs to perform a complex conditional construct. It compares a list of conditions and returns a different result depending on which condition (if any) is matched.
The CASE statement is different to the CASE operator, in that the CASE statement is specifically for use in stored programs. Also, there’s a slight difference in the syntax.
2 Ways to Delete Duplicate Rows in PostgreSQL (Ignoring the Primary Key)
Below are two options for removing duplicate rows from a table in PostgreSQL when those rows have a primary key or unique identifier column. The primary key is used in the query, but it’s ignored when comparing duplicates (due to the fact that primary keys prevent duplicate rows by definition).
The following examples delete duplicate rows but keep one. So in the case of say, three identical rows, it deletes two and keeps one.
Continue readingSubtract Hours from a Time Value in PostgreSQL
In PostgreSQL, we can use the - operator to subtract one or more hours from a time value.
By “time” value, this could be an actual time value, a timestamp, or an interval. We can also subtract hours from a date value or a date and time combination.
2 Ways to Convert to Lowercase in Oracle
Below are two Oracle Database functions that convert uppercase characters to their lowercase equivalent.
Continue readingMySQL CASE Operator
In MySQL, the CASE operator compares a list of conditions and returns one of multiple possible result expressions.
The CASE expression is included in the SQL standard (ISO/IEC 9075), and most major RDBMSs support it.
MySQL also has the CASE statement, which is slightly different to the CASE operator. This article is about the CASE operator.