Oracle PL/SQL Tutorial/Character String Functions/SOUNDEX
Soundex converts a string to a code value
Words with similar sounds will have a similar code value.
The general format for this function is: SOUNDEX(string)
SQL>
SQL> SELECT SOUNDEX("Time") FROM dual;
SOUN
----
T500
SQL>
SOUNDEX(x) get a string containing the phonetic representation of x.
SOUNDEX(x) lets you compare words that are spelled differently but sound alike in English.
The following example selects the first_name and last_name columns from the employee table where last_name sounds like whyte using SOUNDEX():
SQL>
SQL> -- create demo table
SQL> create table Employee(
2 ID VARCHAR2(4 BYTE) NOT NULL,
3 First_Name VARCHAR2(10 BYTE),
4 Last_Name VARCHAR2(10 BYTE),
5 Start_Date DATE,
6 End_Date DATE,
7 Salary Number(8,2),
8 City VARCHAR2(10 BYTE),
9 Description VARCHAR2(15 BYTE)
10 )
11 /
Table created.
SQL>
SQL> -- prepare data
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values ("01","Jason", "Martin", to_date("19960725","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("20060725","YYYYMMDD"), 1234.56, "Toronto", "Programmer")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("02","Alison", "Mathews", to_date("19760321","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19860221","YYYYMMDD"), 6661.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("03","James", "Smith", to_date("19781212","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19900315","YYYYMMDD"), 6544.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("04","Celia", "Rice", to_date("19821024","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19990421","YYYYMMDD"), 2344.78, "Vancouver","Manager")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("05","Robert", "Black", to_date("19840115","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19980808","YYYYMMDD"), 2334.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("06","Linda", "Green", to_date("19870730","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19960104","YYYYMMDD"), 4322.78,"New York", "Tester")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("07","David", "Larry", to_date("19901231","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19980212","YYYYMMDD"), 7897.78,"New York", "Manager")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("08","James", "Cat", to_date("19960917","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("20020415","YYYYMMDD"), 1232.78,"Vancouver", "Tester")
3 /
1 row created.
SQL>
SQL>
SQL>
SQL> -- display data in the table
SQL> select * from Employee
2 /
ID FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME START_DAT END_DATE SALARY CITY DESCRIPTION
---- ---------- ---------- --------- --------- ---------- ---------- ---------------
01 Jason Martin 25-JUL-96 25-JUL-06 1234.56 Toronto Programmer
02 Alison Mathews 21-MAR-76 21-FEB-86 6661.78 Vancouver Tester
03 James Smith 12-DEC-78 15-MAR-90 6544.78 Vancouver Tester
04 Celia Rice 24-OCT-82 21-APR-99 2344.78 Vancouver Manager
05 Robert Black 15-JAN-84 08-AUG-98 2334.78 Vancouver Tester
06 Linda Green 30-JUL-87 04-JAN-96 4322.78 New York Tester
07 David Larry 31-DEC-90 12-FEB-98 7897.78 New York Manager
08 James Cat 17-SEP-96 15-APR-02 1232.78 Vancouver Tester
8 rows selected.
SQL>
SQL>
SQL>
SQL> SELECT first_name, last_name FROM employee WHERE SOUNDEX(last_name) = SOUNDEX("whyte");
no rows selected
SQL>
SQL>
SQL>
SQL> -- clean the table
SQL> drop table Employee
2 /
Table dropped.