[sql] MySQL SELECT query string matching

Normally, when querying a database with SELECT, its common to want to find the records that match a given search string.

For example:

SELECT * FROM customers WHERE name LIKE '%Bob Smith%';

That query should give me all records where 'Bob Smith' appears anywhere in the name field.

What I'd like to do is the opposite.

Instead of finding all the records that have 'Bob Smith' in the name field, I want to find all the records where the name field is in 'Robert Bob Smith III, PhD.', a string argument to the query.

Incorrect:

SELECT * FROM customers WHERE name LIKE '%Bob Smith%';

Instead:

select count(*)
from rearp.customers c
where c.name  LIKE '%Bob smith.8%';

select count will just query (totals)

C will link the db.table to the names row you need this to index

LIKE should be obvs

8 will call all references in DB 8 or less (not really needed but i like neatness)

You can use regular expressions like this:

SELECT * FROM pet WHERE name REGEXP 'Bob|Smith';