How to do MySQL + Substring? + replace?

Question

• I am not very good with SQL and would like to be able to become better.

• I am having some trouble trying to preform a certain table manipulation.

• I would like to be able to select the substring out of the ProgUID column below

something like...

SUBSTRING(table.ProgUID,3,12);

which would give me CAMVE-9701 for the ProgUID P-CAMVE-9701-1 (removing the P- from the beginning and the -1 from the end), and then insert the substring into that rows UID.

I assume this should be fairly easy, and I have been trying to figure it out but havent had much luck.

If there is a better approach please let me know!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts / help!

Answer 1

use UPDATE statement

UPDATE tableName
   SET UID = SUBSTRING(ProgUID,3,12)

• See SQLFiddle Demo

Answer 2

If the portion you want is always 12 characters, then

UPDATE table
SET UID = SUBSTRING(ProgUID, 3, 12)

otherwise

UPDATE table
SET UID = SUBSTRING(ProgUID, 3, LENGTH(ProgUID)-2)