RE: Phantom characters

From: Jacques Kilchoer <Jacques.Kilchoer_at_quest.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 17:40:38 -0800
Message-Id: <10743.126848@fatcity.com>

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Barbour [mailto:dbarbour_at_connectsouth.com]
> Sent: mardi, 16. janvier 2001 16:45
>
> I've got some entries in one of my columns that appear to
> contain a leading
> space or spaces. When I try to use ltrim, they don't go
> away. If I spool
> the data, I find these spaces are actually represented in the
> spool file as
> /240. I don't have this number as an ascii, decimal or octal
> representation
> of anything, and am at a loss as to how to identify and remove these
> "phantoms".

Try "dump" to get the value to supply to the chr function (will probably be 240), then use the ltrim function.

e.g.

SQL> select dump ('xxxMy name') from dual ;

DUMP('XXXMYNAME')

Typ=96 Len=10: 120,120,120,77,121,32,110,97,109,101

SQL> select ltrim ('xxxMy Name', chr (120)) from dual ;

LTRIM('

My Name

any ignorant comments made are the sole responsibility of J. R. Kilchoer and should not reflect adversely upon my employer.

Jacques R. Kilchoer
(949) 754-8816
Quest Software, Inc.
8001 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, California 92618
U.S.A.
http://www.quest.com

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> -----Original Message----- > From: David Barbour [<A = HREF=3D"mailto:dbarbour_at_connectsouth.com">mailto:dbarbour_at_connectsouth.c= om</A>]

<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Sent: mardi, 16. janvier 2001 16:45</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; I've got some entries in one of my columns that =

appear to 
 > contain a leading > space or spaces.  When I try to use ltrim, = they don't go 
 > away.  If I spool > the data, I find these spaces are actually = represented in the 
 > spool file as > /240.  I don't have this number as an = ascii, decimal or octal 
 > representation > of anything, and am at a loss as to how to = identify and remove these
 > "phantoms".

Try "dump" to get the value to supply to = the chr function (will probably be 240), then use the ltrim = function.

e.g.

SQL> select dump ('xxxMy name') from dual ;

DUMP('XXXMYNAME') <FONT =

SIZE=3D2>---------------------------------------------------</FONT>

Typ=3D96 Len=3D10: =
120,120,120,77,121,32,110,97,109,101

SQL> select ltrim ('xxxMy Name', chr (120)) from = dual ;

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>LTRIM('</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>-------</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>My Name</FONT>
</P>

------
 any ignorant comments made are the sole = responsibility of J. R. Kilchoer and should not reflect adversely upon = my employer.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>&nbsp;</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Jacques R. Kilchoer</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>(949) 754-8816</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Quest Software, Inc.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>8001 Irvine Center Drive</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Irvine, California 92618</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>U.S.A.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2><A HREF=3D"http://www.quest.com" =

Received on Tue Jan 16 2001 - 19:40:38 CST