[sql] Remove Trailing Spaces and Update in Columns in SQL Server

I have trailing spaces in a column in a SQL Server table called Company Name.

All data in this column has trailing spaces.

I want to remove all those, and I want to have the data without any trailing spaces.

The company name is like "Amit Tech Corp "

I want the company name to be "Amit Tech Corp"

SQL Server does not support for Trim() function.

But you can use LTRIM() to remove leading spaces and RTRIM() to remove trailing spaces.

can use it as LTRIM(RTRIM(ColumnName)) to remove both.

update tablename
set ColumnName= LTRIM(RTRIM(ColumnName))

To remove Enter:

Update [table_name] set
[column_name]=Replace(REPLACE([column_name],CHAR(13),''),CHAR(10),'')

To remove Tab:

Update [table_name] set
[column_name]=REPLACE([column_name],CHAR(9),'')

If you are using SQL Server (starting with vNext) or Azure SQL Database then you can use the below query.

SELECT TRIM(ColumnName) from TableName;

For other SQL SERVER Database you can use the below query.

SELECT LTRIM(RTRIM(ColumnName)) from TableName

LTRIM - Removes spaces from the left

example: select LTRIM(' test ') as trim = 'test '

RTRIM - Removes spaces from the right

example: select RTRIM(' test ') as trim = ' test'

Use the TRIM SQL function.

If you are using SQL Server try :

SELECT LTRIM(RTRIM(YourColumn)) FROM YourTable

SELECT TRIM(ColumnName) FROM dual;

Well here is a nice script to TRIM all varchar columns on a table dynamically:

--Just change table name
declare @MyTable varchar(100)
set @MyTable = 'MyTable'

--temp table to get column names and a row id
select column_name, ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY column_name) as id into #tempcols from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS 
WHERE   DATA_TYPE IN ('varchar', 'nvarchar') and TABLE_NAME = @MyTable

declare @tri int
select @tri = count(*) from #tempcols
declare @i int
select @i = 0
declare @trimmer nvarchar(max)
declare @comma varchar(1)
set @comma = ', '

--Build Update query
select @trimmer = 'UPDATE [dbo].[' + @MyTable + '] SET '

WHILE @i <= @tri 
BEGIN

    IF (@i = @tri)
        BEGIN
        set @comma = ''
        END
    SELECT  @trimmer = @trimmer + CHAR(10)+ '[' + COLUMN_NAME + '] = LTRIM(RTRIM([' + COLUMN_NAME + ']))'+@comma
    FROM    #tempcols
    where id = @i

    select @i = @i+1
END

--execute the entire query
EXEC sp_executesql @trimmer

drop table #tempcols

If we also want to handle white spaces and unwanted tabs-

Check and Try the below script (Unit Tested)-

--Declaring
DECLARE @Tbl TABLE(col_1 VARCHAR(100));

--Test Samples
INSERT INTO @Tbl (col_1)
VALUES
('  EY     y            
Salem')
, ('  EY     P    ort       Chennai   ')
, ('  EY     Old           Park   ')
, ('  EY   ')
, ('  EY   ')
,(''),(null),('d                           
    f');

SELECT col_1 AS INPUT,
    LTRIM(RTRIM(
    REPLACE(
    REPLACE(
    REPLACE(
    REPLACE(
    REPLACE(
        REPLACE(
        REPLACE(
        REPLACE(
        REPLACE(
        REPLACE(
        REPLACE(col_1,CHAR(10),' ')
        ,CHAR(11),' ')
        ,CHAR(12),' ')
        ,CHAR(13),' ')
        ,CHAR(14),' ')
        ,CHAR(160),' ')
        ,CHAR(13)+CHAR(10),' ')
    ,CHAR(9),' ')
    ,' ',CHAR(17)+CHAR(18))
    ,CHAR(18)+CHAR(17),'')
    ,CHAR(17)+CHAR(18),' ')
    )) AS [OUTPUT]
FROM @Tbl;

Well, it depends on which version of SQL Server you are using.

In SQL Server 2008 r2, 2012 And 2014 you can simply use TRIM(CompanyName)

SQL Server TRIM Function

In other versions you have to use set CompanyName = LTRIM(RTRIM(CompanyName))

To just trim trailing spaces you should use

UPDATE
    TableName
SET
    ColumnName = RTRIM(ColumnName)

However, if you want to trim all leading and trailing spaces then use this

UPDATE
    TableName
SET
    ColumnName = LTRIM(RTRIM(ColumnName))

update MyTable set CompanyName = rtrim(CompanyName)

Example:

SELECT TRIM('   Sample   ');

Result: 'Sample'

UPDATE TableName SET ColumnName = TRIM(ColumnName)

I had the same problem after extracting data from excel file using ETL and finaly i found solution there :

https://www.codeproject.com/Tips/330787/LTRIM-RTRIM-doesn-t-always-work

hope it helps ;)