Question

I have this sql:

select * from employees
where
lastname like '%smith%' and firstname like '%bob%' and middle like '%%'

The problem is the values of the name, particularly the middle name, can be null. So the statement above will find:

  smith, bob mike

but will not find

  smith, bob

because Bob’s middle name is null (he has no middle name.)

I have this which works but I thought there was a better way and wanted input:

    select * from employees
    where
    lastname like '%smith%' 
    and firstname like '%bob%' 
    and (middle like '%%' or middle is null)

edit:

middle is not always blank. Sometimes it will have a value so I have to keep the test for middle name in. It could be populated or null.

Thanks. I am using Oracle 11g if that matters.

Answer 1

You can use nvl:

select * from employees
where
lastname like '%smith%' and firstname like '%bob%' and nvl(middle,'') like '%%'

But this is just the same as not checking the middle name at all as like ‘%%’ will match anything other than null.