How to use escape character in update statement.

Question

Hi All,
I'm trying to update table using following sql update statement, but everytime it's asking me for the input due to the '&' value in below sql.
UPDATE xyz_xyz
   SET NAME = 'ABC & PQR'
WHERE ID = (SELECT ID
               FROM abc_abc
              WHERE NAME = 'C & PQR');Please let me know how to use escape character syntax or let me know if there is any alternative solution.
Thanks,
Vishwas

Answer 1

Hi,
By default, & marks a substitution variable name.
If you're not using substitution variables in that statement (or, if this is in PL/SQL, in that entire package or procedure) then the easiest thing to do is just diable substitution variables; then & will be a normal character:
SELECT  DEFINE  OFF
UPDATE xyz_xyz
   SET NAME = 'ABC & PQR'
WHERE ID = (SELECT ID
               FROM abc_abc
              WHERE NAME = 'C & PQR');
SET  DEFINE  ONIf you can't do that, then & is always taken literally if it comes right before a single-quote, so you could say:
UPDATE xyz_xyz
   SET NAME = 'ABC &' || ' PQR'
WHERE ID = (SELECT ID
               FROM abc_abc
              WHERE NAME = 'C &' || ' PQR');There is a SQL*Plus "SET ESCAPE" command, too, but if you use it, you have to worry about whether the escape character is to be taken literally or not.
SET   ESCAPE  \Yet another alternative is to make some other character, such as ~, mark the substitution variables:
SET  DEFINE  ~Read all about them in the SQL*Plus manual.
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b31189/ch2.htm#sthref103