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Oracle® Database SQL Reference
10g Release 1 (10.1)

Part Number B10759-01
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REGEXP_REPLACE


Syntax

regexp_replace::=
Description of regexp_replace.gif follows
Description of the illustration regexp_replace.gif


Purpose

REGEXP_REPLACE extends the functionality of the REPLACE function by letting you search a string for a regular expression pattern. By default, the function returns source_string with every occurrence of the regular expression pattern replaced with replace_string. The string returned is n the same character set as source_string. The function returns VARCHAR2 if the first argument is not a LOB and returns CLOB if the first argument is a LOB.

This function complies with the POSIX regular expression standard and the Unicode Regular Expression Guidelines. For more information, please refer to Appendix C, " Oracle Regular Expression Support".


Examples

The following example examines phone_number, looking for the pattern xxx.xxx.xxxx. Oracle reformats this pattern with (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

SELECT
  REGEXP_REPLACE(phone_number,
                 '([[:digit:]]{3})\.([[:digit:]]{3})\.([[:digit:]]{4})',
                 '(\1) \2-\3') "REGEXP_REPLACE"
  FROM employees;

REGEXP_REPLACE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(515) 123-4567
(515) 123-4568
(515) 123-4569
(590) 423-4567
. . .

The following example examines country_name. Oracle puts a space after each non-null character in the string.

SELECT
  REGEXP_REPLACE(country_name, '(.)', '\1 ') "REGEXP_REPLACE"
  FROM countries;

REGEXP_REPLACE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A r g e n t i n a
A u s t r a l i a
B e l g i u m
B r a z i l
C a n a d a
. . .

The following example examines the string, looking for two or more spaces. Oracle replaces each occurrence of two or more spaces with a single space.

SELECT
  REGEXP_REPLACE('500   Oracle     Parkway,    Redwood  Shores, CA',
                 '( ){2,}', ' ') "REGEXP_REPLACE"
  FROM DUAL;

REGEXP_REPLACE
--------------------------------------
500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA