How the REPEAT() function works in Mariadb?

The REPEAT() function in MariaDB is a string function that returns a string repeated a certain number of times.

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The REPEAT() function in MariaDB is a string function that returns a string repeated a certain number of times. It is a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as:

  • Creating borders
  • Filling in empty space
  • Generating test data
  • Converting text to a different format

This article will provide an overview of the REPEAT() function, including its syntax, arguments, and usage. We will also provide several examples to illustrate how the function can be used in different scenarios.

Syntax

The basic syntax of the REPEAT() function is as follows:

REPEAT(str, count)

Where:

  • str is the string that you want to repeat.
  • count is the number of times that you want to repeat the string.

The REPEAT() function is case-sensitive, so it will repeat the string exactly as you specify it, including case.

Examples

The following are a few examples of how the REPEAT() function can be used:

Example 1: Creating borders

Suppose you want to create a border around a table in a document. You can use the REPEAT() function to create the border as follows:

SELECT REPEAT('-', 80);

This will return the following string:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Example 2: Filling in empty space

Suppose you have a string that is too short to fill a certain width. You can use the REPEAT() function to fill in the empty space with a space character as follows:

SELECT CONCAT(REPEAT(' ', 10), 'This is a string.');

This will return the following string:

          This is a string.

Example 3: Generating test data

Suppose you want to generate some test data for a database table. You can use the REPEAT() function to generate the test data as follows:

SELECT REPEAT('A', 10);

This will return the following string:

AAAAAAAAAA

The following are some functions that are related to the REPEAT() function:

  • LTRIM(): This function removes leading spaces from a string.
  • RTRIM(): This function removes trailing spaces from a string.
  • SUBSTR(): This function returns a substring from a string.
  • INSTR(): This function returns the position of the first occurrence of a substring within a string.

Conclusion

The REPEAT() function is a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes. By understanding the syntax and arguments of the function, you can use it to perform a variety of tasks on string data.