How to Use SQL SELECT WHERE Field Contains Words

If you’re working with SQL, there may come a time when you need to search for records where a specific field contains certain words. This is a common task and can be accomplished using the SELECT WHERE command. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the steps to use SQL SELECT WHERE Field Contains Words.

Step 1: Understand the Problem

Before you dive into the solution, it’s important to understand the problem you’re trying to solve. In this case, you’re looking to search for records where a specific field contains certain words. This means you’ll need to use the SELECT WHERE command, which allows you to filter records based on specific criteria.

Step 2: Prepare the Database

To follow along with this tutorial, you’ll need access to a database that contains the field you’re searching for. If you don’t have a database set up, you can use an online tool like SQL Fiddle to create a sample database.

Step 3: Use the SELECT WHERE Command

To search for records where a specific field contains certain words, you’ll need to use the SELECT WHERE command. Here’s the basic syntax:

SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE field_name LIKE '%search_term%'

Let’s break this down:

• SELECT * selects all columns from the table.
• FROM table_name specifies the table you want to search.
• WHERE field_name specifies the field you want to search.
• LIKE '%search_term%' specifies the search term you’re looking for. The % symbols are wildcards that match any number of characters.

For example, let’s say you have a table called customers with a field called address. You want to search for all customers whose address contains the word “street”. Here’s the SQL command you would use:

SELECT * FROM customers WHERE address LIKE '%street%'

This will return all records where the address field contains the word “street”.

Step 4: Additional Options

There are a few additional options you can use with the SELECT WHERE command:

• =: Searches for an exact match.
• <>: Searches for records that don’t match the specified value.
• > or <: Searches for records that are greater than or less than the specified value.
• >= or <=: Searches for records that are greater than or equal to, or less than or equal to, the specified value.

For example, let’s say you want to search for all customers whose address is exactly “123 Main Street”. Here’s the SQL command you would use:

SELECT * FROM customers WHERE address = '123 Main Street'

This will return all records where the address field is exactly “123 Main Street”.

In this tutorial, we walked you through the steps to use SQL SELECT WHERE Field Contains Words. By understanding the problem, preparing the database, and using the SELECT WHERE command, you can easily search for records where a specific field contains certain words. Remember to use the additional options to refine your search even further.