STUFF

Use case when we are working on TSQL or Query ,some time we came such a situation when we need to replace a set of string into another set of string, this can be anything like string, character, numeric or special character. We can handle such situation using STUFF function.

STUFF

The STUFF function inserts a string into another string. It deletes a specified length of characters in the first string at the start position and then inserts the second string into the first string at the start position.

Syntax:-

STUFF (Character Expression, Start, Length, Replace with Expression)

Arguments: This function uses the following parameters.

Character Expression: Is an expression of character data. Character Expression can be a constant, variable, or column of either character or binary data.

Start: Is an integer value that specifies the location to start deletion and insertion. If start or length is negative, a null string is returned. If start is longer than the first Character Expression, a null string is returned. Start can be of type bigint.

Length: Is an integer that specifies the number of characters to delete. If length is longer than the first Character Expression, deletion occurs up to the last character in the last Character Expression. Length can be of type bigint.

Replace With Expression: Is an expression of character data. Replace with Expression can be a constant, variable, or column of either character or binary data. This expression will replace length characters of Character Expression beginning at start.

Return Types

Returns character data if character expression is one of the supported character data types. Returns binary data if character expression is one of the supported binary data types.

Remarks

If the start position or the length is negative, or if the starting position is larger than length of the first string, a null string is returned. If the start position is 0, a null value is returned. If the length to delete is longer than the first string, it is deleted to the first character in the first string.

An error is raised if the resulting value is larger than the maximum supported by the return type.

EXAMPLE

SELECT STUFF(‘abcdefgh’, 2, 3, 'xyzwsq'); 

GO

OUTPUT

-------------------

axyzwsqbcdefgh

(1 row(s) affected)