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Hi,

I have question:

why such condition:
foofield not like '%bar%'

where foofield is varchar

returns false (or rather even ignore row) on record where foofield is null
but
returns true on records where foofield is '' (empty string)

regards
Robert
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Nov 12 '05 #1
10 1799
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.
On Mon, 13 Oct 2003, Robert Partyka wrote:
why such condition:
foofield not like '%bar%'

where foofield is varchar

returns false (or rather even ignore row) on record where foofield is
null


Actually, it probably returns unknown(NULL) on such records.
NULL LIKE '%bar%' is unknown, so
NULL NOT LIKE '%bar%' is also unknown.

This is because NULL isn't the same as empty string, nor is it the
absence of a value, but it's an unknown value.

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Nov 12 '05 #2
Robert Partyka wrote:
Hi,

I have question:

why such condition:
foofield not like '%bar%'

where foofield is varchar

returns false (or rather even ignore row) on record where foofield is null
but
returns true on records where foofield is '' (empty string)


SQL specifications.

Empty string and NULL are two different thinks.

Regards
Gaetano Mendola

Nov 12 '05 #3
On Mon, 13 Oct 2003, Robert Partyka wrote:
why such condition:
foofield not like '%bar%'

where foofield is varchar

returns false (or rather even ignore row) on record where foofield is
null


Actually, it probably returns unknown(NULL) on such records.
NULL LIKE '%bar%' is unknown, so
NULL NOT LIKE '%bar%' is also unknown.

This is because NULL isn't the same as empty string, nor is it the absence
of a value, but it's an unknown value.

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 6: Have you searched our list archives?

http://archives.postgresql.org

Nov 12 '05 #4
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.
On Mon, 13 Oct 2003, Robert Partyka wrote:
why such condition:
foofield not like '%bar%'

where foofield is varchar

returns false (or rather even ignore row) on record where foofield is
null


Actually, it probably returns unknown(NULL) on such records.
NULL LIKE '%bar%' is unknown, so
NULL NOT LIKE '%bar%' is also unknown.

This is because NULL isn't the same as empty string, nor is it the
absence of a value, but it's an unknown value.

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 6: Have you searched our list archives?

http://archives.postgresql.org



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Nov 12 '05 #5
vh*****@inreach.com wrote:
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.


Really? I don't believe it.

Regards
Gaetano Mendola

Nov 12 '05 #6
Gaetano Mendola wrote:
vh*****@inreach.com wrote:
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.

Really? I don't believe it.


It is insane, but true.

Mike Mascari
ma*****@mascari.com

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Nov 12 '05 #7
Mike Mascari <ma*****@mascari.com> writes:
Gaetano Mendola wrote:
vh*****@inreach.com wrote:
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.

Really? I don't believe it.


It is insane, but true.


Uh, yeah, but I think that results in the same behaviour for the case at hand.

ie on oracle this is still holds:

NULL LIKE '%foo%' => NULL

The idiocy is that Oracle does this:

'' LIKE '%foo%' => NULL

because it treats '' as if you had NULL, ie, equivalent to the example above.

--
greg
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Nov 12 '05 #8
vh*****@inreach.com wrote:
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.


Really? I don't believe it.

Regards
Gaetano Mendola

Nov 12 '05 #9
Gaetano Mendola wrote:
vh*****@inreach.com wrote:
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.

Really? I don't believe it.


It is insane, but true.

Mike Mascari
ma*****@mascari.com

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ?

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs/FAQ.html

Nov 12 '05 #10
Mike Mascari <ma*****@mascari.com> writes:
Gaetano Mendola wrote:
vh*****@inreach.com wrote:
If you are experienced in Oracle, this might be confusing since Oracle
treats empty string and NULL as being the same.

Really? I don't believe it.


It is insane, but true.


Uh, yeah, but I think that results in the same behaviour for the case at hand.

ie on oracle this is still holds:

NULL LIKE '%foo%' => NULL

The idiocy is that Oracle does this:

'' LIKE '%foo%' => NULL

because it treats '' as if you had NULL, ie, equivalent to the example above.

--
greg
---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
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http://archives.postgresql.org

Nov 12 '05 #11

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