How Can I Perform Case-Sensitive Searches in SQL Server WHERE Clauses?

Achieving Case Sensitivity in SQL Server WHERE Clause Searches

Standard SQL Server WHERE clause searches are inherently case-insensitive; "John" and "john" are considered identical. However, situations demand case-sensitive comparisons. Here are several approaches to enforce case sensitivity in your SQL queries:

1. Leveraging Collation:

   Collation dictates character comparison rules. Specifying a case-sensitive collation ensures the database distinguishes between uppercase and lowercase characters. Illustrative example:

   <code class="language-sql">SELECT 1
   FROM dbo.Customers
   WHERE CustID = @CustID COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS
   AND OrderID = @OrderID COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS</code>

2. Defining Case-Sensitive Columns:

   Alternatively, modify column definitions to inherently support case sensitivity. This involves altering the column's collation settings. Example:

   <code class="language-sql">ALTER TABLE dbo.Customers
   ALTER COLUMN CustID NVARCHAR(50) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS</code>

3. Applying Collation within LIKE:

   The COLLATE keyword also works with the LIKE operator for case-sensitive pattern matching. Example:

   <code class="language-sql">SELECT *
   FROM tbl_Partners
   WHERE PartnerName COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS LIKE 'MyEx%' COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS</code>

These methods provide flexibility in handling case-sensitive searches within SQL Server's WHERE clauses, adapting to various query needs.

The above is the detailed content of How Can I Perform Case-Sensitive Searches in SQL Server WHERE Clauses?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!