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MySQL | FIELD method

schedule Aug 10, 2023
Last updated
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MySQL
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MySQL's FIELD(~) method returns the position of a string in a list of strings.

Parameters

1. str | string / number

The string to find in the list of provided strings. Can also be a number.

2. str1 | string / number

A list of strings. Can also be numbers, however, there must be consistency in data type with str.

Return value

Case

Return value

Match is found

Position of first match

Match is NOT found

0

If str is NULL

0

Examples

Strings

To find the position of 'shark' in the provided list of strings:

SELECT FIELD('shark', 'Park', 'Shark', 'Dark', 'Pear');
+---------------------------------------------+
| FIELD('shark','Park','Shark','Dark','Pear') |
+---------------------------------------------+
| 2 |
+---------------------------------------------+

Note that the match is case insensitive as we find a match with the second item in the list.

The match cannot be a partial match:

SELECT FIELD('ark', 'Park', 'Shark', 'Dark', 'Pear');
+-----------------------------------------------+
| FIELD('ark', 'Park', 'Shark', 'Dark', 'Pear') |
+-----------------------------------------------+
| 0 |
+-----------------------------------------------+

Note that 'ark' does not fully match with any of 'Park', 'Shark', 'Dark' or 'Pear' hence the 0 return value.

Numbers

To find the position of 123 in a list of numbers:

SELECT FIELD(123, 456, 789, 123);
+---------------------------+
| FIELD(123, 456, 789, 123) |
+---------------------------+
| 3 |
+---------------------------+

Remember that the first item in the list is 456 and not 123.

robocat
Published by Arthur Yanagisawa
Edited by 0 others
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