Category: ASE: Functions: String Functions

sortkey()

The string function sortkey() generates a value, which determines the sort order for query results. Using this function the default binary sort order can be avoided. The return value of the string function sortkey() is always of datatype varbinary.

Syntax of the String Function sortkey()

    sortkey ( char_expression | uchar_expression) 

      [, {"collation_name" | collation_id}] )
    

The parameters of the String Function sortkey()

"char_expression"
The parameter "char_expression" can be a variable or constant and must be of one of the datatypes char, varchar, nchar or nvarchar.

"uchar_expression"
The parameter "uchar_expression" can be a variable or constant and must be of one of the datatypes unichar or univarchar.

"collation_name" und "collation_id"
The parameter "collation_name" must be a valid name for a sort order (collating name), set in single or double quotes. On this topic, see table "collation names and ids" below. Alternatively, the "collation_id" can be specified. If the parameter "collation_name" or "collation_id" is not specified, the function sortkey() automatically uses binary sort order.

Example for the String Function sortkey()

    select * from table_name

      where column_name

      like "%search_string%"

      order by sortkey(column_name, "dict")

    

Sorts the result from table "table_name" according to "Latin-1 English-French-German Dictionary Sort Order".

See also:

ASE T-SQL - Aggregate Functions,
ascii(),
char(),
char(n),
charindex(),
char_length(),
compare(),
difference(),
lower(),
ltrim(),
patindex(),
replicate(),
reverse(),
right(),
rtrim(),
soundex(),
space(),
str(),
String Functions,
stuff(),
substring(),
to_unichar(),
uhighsurr(),
ulowsurr(),
upper(),
uscalar().