I need to map several columns of data from one database to another
where the data contains multiple spaces (once occurance of a variable
number or spaces) that I need to replace with a single space. What
would be the most efficient way to do this? I am using SQL2K. I was
thinking a function since I know of no single Transact-SQL command
that can accomplish this task.

"Joe Cool" <joecool (AT) home (DOT) net> wrote

DECLARE @FieldName varchar(5000)
SET @FieldName = ' Reduce any number of' + SPACE(512) +
'spaces up to 512 in
a row to a single space
'

--You can reduce layers of REPLACE depending how many extra spaces you
expect.

SELECT REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(RTRIM(LTRI M(@FieldName)),
SPACE(16), ' '), SPACE(8), ' '), SPACE(4), ' '), SPACE(2), ' '), SPACE(2), '
')

On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 20:47:37 -0600, "Russ Rose" <russrose (AT) hotmail (DOT) com>
wrote:

I believe you misunderstood my question. Here are some sample values:

"SMITH JR" (5 spaces)
"JONES JR" (7 spaces)

Desired result"

"SMITH JR"
"JONES JR"

Joe Cool wrote:

Looks to me like his answer produces the desired result. What problem
do you see with it?

"Ed Murphy" <emurphy42 (AT) socal (DOT) rr.com> wrote

It was a bit of overkill... maybe this will be closer to what you want.


CREATE FUNCTION dbo.SingleSpace(@str varchar(8000))

RETURNS varchar(8000)

AS
--Usage
--SELECT dbo.SingleSpace('Function replaces any and all spaces up
to 16 in a row with a single space ')

BEGIN
DECLARE @s varchar(8000)
SELECT @s = REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(RTRIM(LTRIM(@str)), SPACE(4), ' '),
SPACE(2), ' '), SPACE(2), ' ')
RETURN @s
END

Russ Rose wrote:
Doesn't work on 11, 14, or 15 spaces.

Adding an extra REPLACE(..., SPACE(2), ' ') wrapper will fix it, and
extend it to runs up to 26.

Adding an inner 8->1 on top of that extends to 167; 16->1 on top of that
extends to 2447; 32->1 on top of that extends to 77343, more than enough
unless you're messing with TEXT (for which REPLACE doesn't work at all,
IIRC) or VARCHAR(MAX).

Do an UPDATE statement with nested REPLACE() functions to change (n)
spaces to 1 space:

UPDATE Foobar
SET mystring = REPLACE (SPACE(2), SPACE(1) ' ,
...
REPLACE (SPACE(<<fib(n)>>), SPACE(1),
mystring)
.. )));

The optimal pattern for the substitutions is a Fibbonnaci series with
the longest string of spaces in the innermost invocation. You have to
pick the right number based on the length of the column. Working out
the math is fun, so enjoy.

"Russ Rose" <russrose (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote:

How did you guys miss the recursion boat?

Create function dbo.udf_CondenseSpaces (@str varchar(8000))

Returns varchar(8000)
AS

BEGIN
Declare @s varchar(8000)

Set @s = replace(@str, ' ', ' ')

if charindex(' ', @s) > 0

set @s = dbo.udf_CondenseSpaces(@s)

return @s
END

also instead of calling a function many times
create a function or a proct
Sample incomming string

declare @somestring varchar(100)
set @somestring = 'aaa bbb cccc eee fff f gggg h i aa '
--sample guts of function / proc
while charindex(' ',@somestring)>0 begin
set @Somestring = replace(@somestring,' ',' ')
end
print @somestring
---output aaa bbb cccc eee fff f gggg h i aa




"Blackburn" <blackburn (AT) 2centsediting (DOT) mypants.com> wrote