LIKE predicate

The LIKE predicate searches a string value for a certain pattern.

The syntax for this predicate is:

string-expression [NOT] LIKE pattern [ ESCAPE escape-character ]

The pattern value is a string literal or parameter marker of type string in which the underscore ( _ ) stands for any single character and percent ( % ) stands for any sequence of characters ( including empty sequence ). Any other character stands for itself. The escape character can be used to search for character _ and %. The escape character can be specified as a string literal or an input parameter.

If the string-expression is null, then the result is unknown.

If both string-expression and pattern are empty, then the result is true.

Example: LIKE predicate

• "LIKE" is true

• "LIKE %" is true

• e.name LIKE 12%3 is true for "123" "12993" and false for "1234"

• e.name LIKE 's_me' is true for "some" and "same", false for "soome"

• e.name LIKE '/_foo' escape '/' is true for "_foo", false for "afoo"

• e.name LIKE '//_foo' escape '/' is true for "/afoo" and for "/bfoo"

• e.name LIKE '///_foo' escape '/' is true for "/_foo" but false for "/afoo"

Related concepts

EJB query language

WHERE clause

Related tasks

Use EJB query