[marynivemo]

Field name: alternate_id
Table name: basic
A client stores id numbers in the alternate_id field. Some of the id numbers are preceded by 'KW', while others are not. My goal is to write a script in Interactive SQL that will insert 'KW' before the id numbers that do not already contain 'KW'. I am not sure how to write this script. I thought it would be a concatenate, but I don't think so now. Can someone please point me in the right direction? Thank you!

[georgev]

Use an UPDATE statement which SETs the value of alternative_id to concatenate 'KW' + alternative_id WHERE alternate_id is NOT LIKE 'KW%' already (where % is a wildcard).

[marynivemo]

I tried the following two statements, but receive an error "syntax error near kw"

update basic set alternate_id = concatenate 'KW' + alternate_id where alternate_id is not like 'KW%'

update basic set alternate_id = concatenate 'KW' + alternate_id where alternate_id <> 'KW%'

[r937]

which DBMS are you using?

i googled for "Interactive SQL" and came up with this which is DB2, and this which is Sybase

[marynivemo]

I am using Sybase SQL

[r937]

okay, moving thread to Sybase forum

[r937]

try this --

UPDATE basic 
   SET alternate_id = 'KW' + alternate_id 
 WHERE alternate_id NOT LIKE 'KW%'

[marynivemo]

That worked! It wasn't a concatenate statement after all. Thank you so much for your prompt assistance!! I appreciate your help!