Remove everything but the first character of a string in a MySQL query

Question

I am trying to run a query directly in MySQL to execute a series of records and replace the field value with only the string field character.

for example based on a column named formname

row 1 - Renault
row 2 - Citreon
row 3 - Jaguar

It will come back ..

row 1 - R
row 2 - C
row 3 - J

I can do this easily using native PHP functions, but not sure how to do it using SUBSTR function of MYSQL function?

+3

Zabs Sep 16 14 at 12:55

2 answers

To get this with the SUBSTR () function as you ask, you should use:

SELECT Field1, SUBSTR(field2, 1, 1) 
FROM MyTable

Function definition: SUBSTR(str,pos,len)

+1

Linger Sep 16 '14 at 13:00

M khalid junaid · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-16T12:56:46+0000

You can use left

update table
set column = left(column,1)

or for selection you can write

select col1,left(col2,1)
from table