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I have a JDBC query that performs an ILIKE operation.

select project_name from project_table where project_name ILIKE '%test%';

The above returns all the results matching (wildcarded) the term test.

However, when the project_name is %project_name and the user searches for just %, the query returns all the rows instead of just the matching row.

Essentially the query becomes select project_name from project_table where project_name ILIKE '%%%';

I understand the concept of wildcarding in postgresql, but is there a way to just limit the result matching the %?

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  • Please remember to always disclose the Postgres version in use. Jan 7, 2022 at 2:33

1 Answer 1

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Escape the special meaning with a backslash (\):

WHERE project_name ILIKE '%\%project_name';

Matches any string that ends with '%project_name'.
The first % serves as wildcard, the second, escaped \% matches a literal '%'.

Or use the function I provided here (along with detailed explanation) :

If '%\%%' works like '%%%' for you then - like jjanes hinted - you are probably running with the outdated setting standard_conforming_strings = off, where \ is interpreted away as escape character.
The default is on since Postgres 9.1. (!)

Solution: Double up \ and prepend the string with E, like: E'%\\%%'.

db<>fiddle here

Or, much rather, upgrade to a current version of Postgres with proper settings. See:

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  • ILIKE '%\%project_name'; works when the search-term is %project_name. However, when the search-term is just %, I still get back all the results (WHERE project_name ILIKE '%\%%';) instead of just one row -- %project_name. Jan 6, 2022 at 15:32
  • @Pavan: That shouldn't be (unless all project names contain a literal %). db<>fiddle here. Maybe some component of your food-chain escapes the `\`? Log statements and check your database log what Postgres actually receives if you are unsure. Jan 6, 2022 at 15:47
  • Executing the query directly in psql: select project_name from project_table WHERE project_name ILIKE '%\%%'; project_name -------------- %test_name project-1 project-1 (3 rows) Jan 6, 2022 at 16:31
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    @Pavan - if you wish to demonstrate SQL functionality, far better to use db<>fiddle (dbfiddle.uk) and put the link here - comments don't format very well and your message from the above isn't very clear - a fiddle would rectify that!
    – Vérace
    Jan 6, 2022 at 16:34
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    @Pavan Maybe you have standard_conforming_strings = off.
    – jjanes
    Jan 6, 2022 at 22:58

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