On 24 Dec 2009, at 14:35, Rajan, Pavithra wrote: > > Hello -Yes I need to find out the column value like '%Volt%' in any > column of data_type (character varying) of any table. Basically what I > need to do is go thro each columns of all tables and find any entries > that have Voltage followed by some number e.g. 'Voltage 4.8000'.Then I > need to use regexep_replace function to curtail the precision to two > digits after decimal instead of 4. Why are you using a text type column? The numerical values in there clearly matter to you as you're trying to change their precision now. A numeric column seems far more suitable, or maybe you should have a look at Martijn van Oosterhout's tagged types (although that code doesn't compile against modern versions of Postgres anymore it seems). > Eg:table name 'app' has a column name description which has 4 entries > like > | description | > | character varying(50) | > | | > | Voltage 2.4000 | > | Voltage 4.8000 | > | Voltgae 3.0509 | | ^^^ Here's another reason to avoid a text type column for storing your data. I'm assuming your actual data is generated and the above is a typo in your example, but if anyone _ever_ inserts data by hand you're going to run into this kind of problem. > | Voltage 1.0010 | > > Then I run a sql file with this command any many other Update commands > form other tables that have similar entries in various columns. > > UPDATE app SET app = regexp_replace(description,'4.8000','4.80') where > description like 'Volt%'; That looks like a lot of work, you're not using all the power regular expressions give you. I think you'll like: regex_replace( description, E'([1-9][0-9]*)\.([0-9]{2})[0-9]*', E'\\1.\\2' ) development=> select regexp_replace('4.8000', E'([1-9][0-9]*)\.([0-9]{2})[0-9]*' , E'\\1.\\2'); regexp_replace ---------------- 4.80 (1 row) Regards, Alban Hertroys -- If you can't see the forest for the trees, cut the trees and you'll see there is no forest. !DSPAM:737,4b3748619957413871377! -- Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general