MySQL query to insert an x before every value in column

Question

I have a MySQL table and want to add 'x' to the beginning of a column value for every row.

My syntax guess was:

UPDATE table1 SET col5='x'.col5

This did not work. Any ideas?

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:08

4

update table1 
set col5 = CONCAT('x', col5)
where col5 NOT LIKE 'x%'; -- optional, depending on circumstances

answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:08

gbn

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:07

2

update table1 set col5 = 'x' + col5

answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:07

juergen d

Is it faster than using CONCAT? – David19801 Jan 26 '12 at 11:12
I didn't try it but I guess it will be optimized to the same – juergen d Jan 26 '12 at 11:16

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:09

1

UPDATE table1 SET col5 = CONCAT('x', col5);

answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:09

xdazz

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:11

1

You can also try MySQL CONCAT:

UPDATE table1 SET col5 = CONCAT('x',col5)

edited May 23 '17 at 12:11

Community

answered Jan 26 '12 at 11:10

Naveed

4 Answers4