Re: Select only if two character and two number

Daniel Morgan <dmorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message news:<3D207850.3C76D4A5_at_exesolutions.com>...
> Sashafay wrote:
>
> > I looking for the function (or some other trick) to identify new input
> > in the table, that will be a combination of two character and two
> > number only. But I don't know how to recognize if these input that
> > what I looking for. In that field user can input any values (ex.
> > &#8216;ABCD' or &#8216;1234') but I want only first and second characters and
> > third and fourth numbers (ex. &#8216;AB12').
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Alex
>
> I suspect English not being your first language is interfering with your
> ability to state the problem. But based on my understanding of what you
> have posted there is not way of identifying records in the manner you
> suggest. I would suggest posting the table structure and a few rows of
> data (some new and some old) that will demonstrate what the difference is
> between old and new records.
>
> Generally when I want to do something like this I add a column to the
> table something like this:
>
> ALTER TABLE xyz
> ADD (new_flag NUMBER(1) DEFAULT 1);
>
> This will automatically insert a one '1' into the new_flag column with
> every insert.
>
> Then have your process update the field to 0 as you process the rows.
>
> Daniel Morgan

I think you need to elaborate a bit more on what you are trying to do and what values you are looking for. It is easy to identify a new insert via a boolean flag of 1 or 0, 1 being new insert and 0 being processed. However, I don't know what exactly you mean by ABCD, 1234 and AB12. If you could provide some more detail...maybe someone can help you.

By what I understand, looks like you would need to use INSTR and SUBSTR functions in a loop to parse out your field values by Alpha or numeric types.

HTH
//Rauf Sarwar Received on Mon Jul 01 2002 - 21:19:41 CDT