In SQL, the UNICODE function is used to return the Unicode code point of a specified character or the first character of a string. The syntax generally looks like this:
UNICODE(character_expression)
Here’s how to use the UNICODE function effectively:
1. For a Single Character:
If you want to find the Unicode code point of a single character, you can directly pass that character as an argument to the UNICODE function.
Example:
SELECT UNICODE('A') AS UnicodeCodePoint;
This will return 65, which is the Unicode value for the character 'A'.
2. For a String:
If a string is provided, the UNICODE function will return the Unicode code point of the first character in that string.
Example:
SELECT UNICODE('Hello') AS UnicodeCodePoint;
This will return 72, which corresponds to 'H', the first character of the string.
3. Using in a Table Query:
If you have a table and you want to apply this on a column, you can do something like:
SELECT column_name, UNICODE(column_name) AS UnicodeCodePoint
FROM your_table;
Here's a recap of key points:
- UNICODE takes a string expression and returns the Unicode integer value of its first character.
- If you need the Unicode point for more characters in a string, you'll typically have to iterate over the string.
This function is commonly supported in SQL-based environments like Microsoft SQL Server. Always check the specific SQL documentation for your database system for any variations in syntax or supported features.