Sql Server: How to remove multiple spaces from a string


Introduction: In this article i am going to explain how to remove all spaces that may be present in the beginning(leading spaces) or at the last(trailing spaces) or in between(middle) of the string. 


Implementation: Let's take an example:

DECLARE @String AS VARCHAR(100)=' Co m    pu ter    '

To remove spaces from above string we need to use sql server’s inbuilt REPLACE function as:

SELECT REPLACE(@String, ' ', '')

Result will be “Computer” i.e. with no spaces.

Now let's see how to use this with the data stored in table column.

Let's create a table with a column having dummy data with multiple spaces present at the beginning, at the last or in between.

CREATE TABLE #tbData
(
Data VARCHAR(100)
)

GO
INSERT INTO #tbData VALUES ('                    Computer')
INSERT INTO #tbData VALUES ('Computer ')
INSERT INTO #tbData VALUES (' Computer')
INSERT INTO #tbData VALUES ('Comp     uter')
INSERT INTO #tbData VALUES ('Co mpu                ter')

Check table data
GO
SELECT * FROM #tbData

Table data will look like:
Data
                    Computer
Computer
 Computer
Comp     uter
Co mpu                ter

Now Let's write the update query to remove spaces from the data.

UPDATE #tbData SET Data = REPLACE(Data, ' ', '');

Now check table data.
SELECT * FROM #tbData

Data
Computer
Computer
Computer
Computer
Computer

Note: All the spaces are removed from the data.

Now drop temporary table

drop table #tbData

Now over to you:
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