SQL/MX 2.x Reference Manual (H06.04+)

SQL/MX Functions and Expressions

HP NonStop SQL/MX Reference Manual—540440-003

9-154

TRIM Function

The TRIM function removes leading and trailing characters from a character string.

trim-type

specifies whether characters are to be trimmed from the leading end (LEADING),

trailing end (TRAILING), or both ends (BOTH) of trim-source. If you omit trim-

type, the default is BOTH.

trim_char

is an SQL character value expression and specifies the character to be trimmed

from trim-source. trim_char has a maximum length of 1. If you omit

trim_char, SQL trims blanks (' ') from trim-source.

trim-source

is an SQL character value expression and specifies the string from which to trim

characters. See Character Value Expressions on page 6-37.

Considerations for TRIM

Result of TRIM

The result is always of type VARCHAR, with maximum length equal to the fixed length

or maximum variable length of trim-source. If the source character string is an

upshifts CHAR or VARCHAR string, the result is an upshifts VARCHAR type.

Examples of TRIM

•

Return 'Robert':

TRIM (' Robert ')

•

The EMPLOYEE table defines FIRST_NAME as CHAR(15) and LAST_NAME as

CHAR(20). This expression uses the TRIM function to return the value 'Robert

Smith' without extra blanks:

TRIM (first_name) || ' ' || TRIM (last_name)

TRIM ([[trim-type] [trim-char] FROM] trim-source)

trim-type is:

LEADING | TRAILING | BOTH