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SQL Server - replacing patterns

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  • 05-05-2009 9:15am
    #1
    Jagera
    Closed Accounts Posts: 910 ✭✭✭


    I'm astounded to find that this does not work (SQLServer 2005 SP1):

    declare @var varchar(50)
    select @var = 'Hewlett-Packard'
    select replace(@var, '[a-z]','?') as Pattern

    expect: 'H??????-P???????'
    get: 'Hewlett-Packard'

    I need to replace all characters with a ? - but within a single SQL statement.. Data is being sent to an Excel file via a SQL statement, so I can't do anything too fancy. Also only have read access to db, so can't create SP's, functions, etc..

    Purpose is to display the pattern distribution of values. for e.g phone numbers 999-999-9999, that sort of thing.


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