Wildcard Representation Operator in Access

This updated guide examines Wildcard Representation Operator in Access and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

Access supports two different wildcard sets that correspond to the standards of Structured Query Language (SQL):

ANSI-89: Use when using the Find and Replace dialog box to find and replace data in an Access database. You also use these characters when running select queries and updating with *.mdb and *.accdb files
ANSI-92: Use when running queries against Access projects, Access files associated with SQL Server databases.

ANSI-89 representative

Character Description

Represents any character, with any number. Can be used*anywhere in a string.

wh*can findwhat,whiteandwhy, but not findawhileorwatch.

Represent all single letter characters.

B?llbe able to findball,bellandbill.

[]

Represent each single character in square brackets.

B[ae]llcan findballandbellbut can't findbill.

Represents all characters not enclosed in square brackets.

b[!ae]llfind thebillandbullbut don't look forballorbell.

Represents any character in the given range. This range is in ascending order (from A to Z, not from Z to A).

b[ac]dwill findbad,bbdandbbd.

Represent all characters as digits.

1#3will find103,113and123.

Character of ANSI-92 representative

Character Description

Represents any character, with any number. Can be used as the first or last character in the character string.

wh%will findwhat,whiteandwhybut not looking forawhileorwatch.

Represent all single letter characters.

B_llwill findball,bellandbill.

[]

Represent each single character in square brackets.

B[ae]llfind theballandbellbut don't find thebill.

Represents all characters not enclosed in square brackets.

b[^ae]llfind thebillandbullbut don't findballorbell.

Represents any character in the given range. This range is in ascending order (from A to Z, not from Z to A).

b[ac]dwill findbad,bbdandbbd.

For example

Let us now look at a simple example of using these wildcard wildcards by opening the Query Design query design.

Add the following tables and close the Show Table dialog box .

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 1 — Add 3 tblDuAn tables, tblTacgia and tblTacgiaNoi

Add the fields you want to appear in the query so they appear in the bottom design grid of the screen.

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 2 — Add TenDuAn schools, Ten, Ho, TinhTrang, TimeBatdau and TimeKetthuc

Execute the query by clicking the Run command on the Design tab , you will see results like this:

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 3 — Query results just created

Now that you return to the query design screen, add the message phrase you want to appear when you execute the search query Project name: [Enter the project name:] .

See also: Parameter Query in Access 2016

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 4 — The phrase [Enter project name:] message appears when running the query

Click Run on the Design tab and you will see the message appear:

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 5 — The [Enter project name:] message box appears

Assume that you don't remember the project name correctly, but know that the project name contains the word "Cong nghe". Click OK.

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 6 — Enter a project name with the word "Cong nghe"

This will not return results, because here Access will search for an exact result with the information entered in the Project Name field, and no project named Cong listens .

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 7 — The action did not return any results

If you want to find a project that contains the word "Listen", you need to use wildcard and adjust the query criteria in addition to the LIKE operator.

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 8 — Add Likes to Criteria query criteria

Run the query and add the delegate operator to find the required data. Add*to replace the characters before and after the listener. Click OK.

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 9 — Enter * Curve * on the display message

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 10 — Results returned for projects with "Cong listening"

This is a very useful way for those who know wildcard wildcards and want to search for data without 100% accuracy.

In addition, you can also use wildcards right from the query criteria operation, combined with LIKE and symbols",&, for example:

LIKE "*" & [Nh?p t�n d? �n:] & "*"

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 11

Rerun the query, this time you do not need the wildcard that comes with the keyword you are looking for.

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 12 — Continue to try again with the project with "Cong nghe"

Wildcard Representation Operator in Access � contextual image 13 — The returned answer is similar to the above

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