Problem on string

Question

Hi,
I've any problem with replace more space with just one space
My table is;
ID..............NAME
01..............JOHN....SMITH --4 BLANK
02..............MY.NAME -- 1 BLANK (ok)
04..............YOUR.....NAME --5 BLANK
05..............MY......DOG --6 BLANK
07..............ONE.TWO --1BLANK (ok)
I'd like this output:
ID..............NAME
01..............JOHN.SMITH
02..............MY.NAME
04..............YOUR.NAME K
05..............MY.DOG
07..............ONE.TWO
How can I search string with more space and replace with just one space
Thanks

Answer 1

A way to do in SQL. Try this
SQL>  SELECT trim(MAX(SYS_CONNECT_BY_PATH(STR1,' '))) STR
  2    FROM
  3    (
  4            SELECT rownum row_num,trim(STR1) str1
  5            FROM
  6            (
  7                    SELECT DECODE(ROWNUM,1,SUBSTR(STR,1,INSTR(STR,' ',1)),
  8                                         LENGTH(STR)-LENGTH(REPLACE(STR,' '))+1,SUBSTR(STR,INSTR(STR,' ',-1,1)),
  9                                         SUBSTR(STR,INSTR(STR,' ',1,ROWNUM-1), INSTR(STR,' ',1,ROWNUM)-INSTR(STR,' ',1,ROWNUM-1))
10                                  )  STR1
11                    FROM (SELECT '&string' STR FROM DUAL),ALL_TABLES
12                    WHERE ROWNUM <= LENGTH(STR)-LENGTH(REPLACE(STR,' '))+1
13                    ORDER BY ROWNUM
14            )
15            where trim(STR1) is not null
16    )
17    START WITH ROW_NUM=1
18    CONNECT BY ROW_NUM-1 = PRIOR ROW_NUM
19  /
Enter value for string: hai        welcome       to Oracle
old  11:                   FROM (SELECT '&string' STR FROM DUAL),ALL_TABLES
new  11:                   FROM (SELECT 'hai        welcome       to Oracle' STR FROM DUAL),ALL_TABLES
STR
hai welcome to Oracle
SQL> /
Enter value for string: String        manipulation         in     oracle    9i
old  11:                   FROM (SELECT '&string' STR FROM DUAL),ALL_TABLES
new  11:                   FROM (SELECT 'String        manipulation         in     oracle    9i' STR FROM DUAL),ALL_TABLES
STR
String manipulation in oracle 9i
SQL>EDIT: Even in this you have to use PL/SQL(above statemetn in a loop) to replace all the records. I also think the replace(replace())..will be better.
Message was edited by:
Mohana