REPLACE function
This function replaces every occurrence of the pattern-to-find with pattern-to-replace-by. The general format for this function is:
REPLACE(source-string, pattern-to-find, pattern-to-replace-by)
SQL> SELECT REPLACE('Mississippi', 'pi', 'pI') FROM dual ;
REPLACE('MI
-----------
MississippI
SQL> SELECT REPLACE ('This is a test',' is ',' are ') FROM dual;
REPLACE('THISIS
---------------
This are a test
SQL>
Replacement may happen more than once.
SQL> SELECT REPLACE ('This is a test','is',' are ') FROM dual;
REPLACE('THISISATEST
--------------------
Th are are a test
SQL>
If the pattern-to-find is not present, then the replacing does not occur:
SQL> SELECT REPLACE ('This is a test','are',' are not ') FROM dual;
REPLACE('THISI
--------------
This is a test
SQL>
REPLACE() doesn't modify the actual value, only the row returned by the function is modified.
CREATE TABLE EMP (EMPNO NUMBER(4) NOT NULL,
ENAME VARCHAR2(10),
JOB VARCHAR2(9),
SAL NUMBER(7, 2),
DEPTNO NUMBER(2));
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (1, 'SMITH', 'CLERK', 800, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (2, 'ALLEN', 'SALESMAN', 1600, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (3, 'WARD', 'SALESMAN', 1250, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (4, 'JONES', 'MANAGER', 2975, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (5, 'MARTIN','SALESMAN', 1250, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (6, 'BLAKE', 'MANAGER', 2850, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (7, 'CLARK', 'MANAGER', 2850, 10);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (8, 'SCOTT', 'ANALYST', 3000, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (9, 'KING', 'PRESIDENT',3000, 10);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (10,'TURNER','SALESMAN', 1500, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES (11,'ADAMS', 'CLERK', 1500, 20);
SQL> select ename, replace(ename,'SMITH','AAAAA') from emp;
ENAME REPLACE(ENAME,'SMITH','AAAAA')
---------- --------------------------------------------------
SMITH AAAAA
ALLEN ALLEN
WARD WARD
JONES JONES
MARTIN MARTIN
BLAKE BLAKE
CLARK CLARK
SCOTT SCOTT
KING KING
TURNER TURNER
ADAMS ADAMS
11 rows selected.
SQL>
SQL> select ename from emp;
ENAME
----------
SMITH
ALLEN
WARD
JONES
MARTIN
BLAKE
CLARK
SCOTT
KING
TURNER
ADAMS
11 rows selected.
SQL>