MySQL LIKE IN() ?

Question

My current query looks like this:

SELECT * FROM fiberbox f WHERE f.fiberBox LIKE '%1740 %' OR f.fiberBox LIKE '%1938 %' OR f.fiberBox LIKE '%1940 %'

I did some looking around and can't find anything similar to a LIKE IN() - I envision it working like this:

SELECT * FROM fiberbox f WHERE f.fiberbox LIKE IN('%140 %', '%1938 %', '%1940 %')

Any ideas? Am I just thinking of the problem the wrong way - some obscure command I've never seen.

MySQL 5.0.77-community-log

Answer 1

You can create an inline view or a temporary table, fill it with you values and issue this:

SELECT  *
FROM    fiberbox f
JOIN    (
        SELECT '%1740%' AS cond
        UNION ALL
        SELECT '%1938%' AS cond
        UNION ALL
        SELECT '%1940%' AS cond
        ) с
ON      f.fiberBox LIKE cond

This, however, can return you multiple rows for a fiberbox that is something like '1740, 1938', so this query can fit you better:

SELECT  *
FROM    fiberbox f
WHERE   EXISTS
        (
        SELECT  1
        FROM    (
                SELECT '%1740%' AS cond
                UNION ALL
                SELECT '%1938%' AS cond
                UNION ALL
                SELECT '%1940%' AS cond
                ) с
        WHERE   f.fiberbox LIKE cond
        )

Answer 2

Sorry, there is no operation similar to LIKE IN in mysql.

If you want to use the LIKE operator without a join, you'll have to do it this way:

(field LIKE value OR field LIKE value OR field LIKE value)

You know, MySQL will not optimize that query, FYI.

Answer 3

A REGEXP might be more efficient, but you'd have to benchmark it to be sure, e.g.

SELECT * from fiberbox where field REGEXP '1740|1938|1940';