Posted by Good Man on 06/22/07 19:10

Derrick Shields <derrick.shields@gmail.com> wrote in
news:1182537069.716376.120720@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

> So here is my question. What is the difference between LIKE 'value'
> and LIKE '%VALUE%'? When you add the percentage signs, I understand
> the percentage signs are wild cards, but if you're using LIKE without
> wildcard percentage signs, is that technically the same as saying
> "="?

sort of... but in cases where you're doing the LIKE on columns with more
than one word in it.. ie:

value 1 = "the north pole"
value 2 = "the south pole"

....
"SELECT * FROM Locations WHERE Place LIKE 'pole'" would return nothing,
but "LIKE '%pole'" would return both...

or, alternatively:

value 1 = "johnny"
value 2 = "john"
value 3 = "johnson"

"SELECT * FROM tableName WHERE DudesName LIKE 'john'" would return only
the 2nd value, but "LIKE '%john'" would return all three...

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