SQL Server: Group by First Character (i.e. Letter)

Question

How do I a query in SQL Server using T-SQL to return the counts of the first letter/character in a column's values?

The proper way would be to ask a question and then add an answer and accept it. Perhaps think of editing your post? — Andrzej Bobak, Nov 12 '13 at 16:27
Ok, I changed it. Thanks for the advice. What do you mean by "accept think"? — Robert Bernstein, Nov 12 '13 at 16:29
But that's for Oracle. I changed it to T-SQL (for SQL Server). Would you just add mine as a comment to that post? — Robert Bernstein, Nov 12 '13 at 16:31
[A SQL Server specific dupe does already exist too](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13500638/sql-how-many-records-start-with-the-same-letter) — Martin Smith, Nov 12 '13 at 16:41

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:58

5

SELECT SUBSTRING(FileName, 1, 1) as first_letter, COUNT(FileId)  
FROM Files  
GROUP BY SUBSTRING(FileName,1,1)  
ORDER BY first_letter

I modified an example for Oracle that can be found here: group by first character

edited May 23 '17 at 11:58

Community

answered Nov 12 '13 at 16:28

Robert Bernstein

1 Answers1