Escaping ampersand character in SQL string Escaping ampersand character in SQL string oracle oracle

Escaping ampersand character in SQL string


Instead of

node_name = 'Geometric Vectors \& Matrices'

use

node_name = 'Geometric Vectors ' || chr(38) || ' Matrices' 

38 is the ascii code for ampersand, and in this form it will be interpreted as a string, nothing else. I tried it and it worked.

Another way could be using LIKE and an underline instead the '&' character:

node_name LIKE 'Geometric Vectors _ Matrices' 

The chance that you'll find some other record too, which is different in only this one character, is quite low.


Escape is set to \ by default, so you don't need to set it; but if you do, don't wrap it in quotes.

Ampersand is the SQL*Plus substitution variable marker; but you can change it, or more usefully in your case turn it off completely, with:

set define off

Then you don't need to bother escaping the value at all.


You can use

set define off

Using this it won't prompt for the input