Is there a simple way to convert MySQL data into Title Case?

Question

I have a MySQL table where all the data in one column was entered in UPPERCASE, but I need to convert in to Title Case, with recognition of \"small words\" akin to the Darin

Answer 1

umm something like this may work

UPDATE table_name SET `col_name`= CONCAT( UPPER( SUBSTRING( `col_name`, 1, 1 ) ) , LOWER( SUBSTRING( `col_name` FROM 2 ) ) );

Answer 2

This one works for me.

UPDATE `suburbs` 
SET title2 = CONCAT_WS(' ',
CONCAT(UPPER(LEFT(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',1),1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',1),2))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',2),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',1)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',2),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',1))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',3),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',2)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',3),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',2))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',4),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',3)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',4),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',3))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',5),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',4)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',5),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',4))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',6),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',5)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',6),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',5))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',7),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',6)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',7),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',6))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',8),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',7)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',8),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',7))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',9),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',8)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',9),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',8))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',10),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',9)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',10),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',9))))),
CONCAT(UPPER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',11),LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',10)) + 2, 1)), LOWER(MID(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',11),3 + LENGTH(SUBSTRING_INDEX(title, ' ',10))))))
WHERE 1

Answer 3

I used something like this

UPDATE `tablename` 
SET `fieldname` =  CONCAT(UCASE(SUBSTRING(`fieldname`,1,1)),'', LCASE(SUBSTRING(`fieldname`,2,LENGTH(`fieldname`)))) 

Note: This will only convert the first character to uppercase. and rest of the value to lowercase.

Answer 4

My solution for simple proper case:

CREATE FUNCTION `proper_case`(str varchar(128)) RETURNS varchar(128)
BEGIN
DECLARE n, pos INT DEFAULT 1;
DECLARE sub, proper VARCHAR(128) DEFAULT '';

if length(trim(str)) > 0 then
    WHILE pos > 0 DO
        set pos = locate(' ',trim(str),n);
        if pos = 0 then
            set sub = lower(trim(substr(trim(str),n)));
        else
            set sub = lower(trim(substr(trim(str),n,pos-n)));
        end if;

        set proper = concat_ws(' ', proper, concat(upper(left(sub,1)),substr(sub,2)));
        set n = pos + 1;
    END WHILE;
end if;

RETURN trim(proper);
END

Use it as:

SELECT proper_case("JOHN DOE");

Output:

John Doe

Answer 5

Woo! I'm not handy with SQL at all; Here's the method that worked for me:

1. Export the table as a text file in .sql format.
2. Open the file in Textmate (which I already had handy).
3. Select the rows with UPPERCASE data.
4. Choose "Convert" from the "Text" menu, and select "to Titlecase".

5. Find and replace each instance of:

   INSERT INTO `Table` (`Col1`, `Col2`, `Etc`, ...) VALUES
   

   with the correct lowercase values.

6. Import the table back into the database.
7. Use UPDATE table SET colname=LOWER(colname); to reset lowercase values for the columns that should be lowercase.

The reason I didn't try using Textmate before was that I couldn't figure out how to convert a single column to Title Case without ruining the other data, but this method seems to work. Thanks for your guidance and support!

Answer 6

Edit

Eureka! Literally my first SQL function. No warranty offered. Back up your data before using. :)

First, define the following function:

DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS lowerword;
SET GLOBAL  log_bin_trust_function_creators=TRUE; 
DELIMITER |
CREATE FUNCTION lowerword( str VARCHAR(128), word VARCHAR(5) )
RETURNS VARCHAR(128)
DETERMINISTIC
BEGIN
  DECLARE i INT DEFAULT 1;
  DECLARE loc INT;

  SET loc = LOCATE(CONCAT(word,' '), str, 2);
  IF loc > 1 THEN
    WHILE i <= LENGTH (str) AND loc <> 0 DO
      SET str = INSERT(str,loc,LENGTH(word),LCASE(word));
      SET i = loc+LENGTH(word);
      SET loc = LOCATE(CONCAT(word,' '), str, i);
    END WHILE;
  END IF;
  RETURN str;
END;
|
DELIMITER ;

This will lower all occurrences of word in str.

Then define this modified proper function:

DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS tcase; 
SET GLOBAL  log_bin_trust_function_creators=TRUE; 
DELIMITER | 
CREATE FUNCTION tcase( str VARCHAR(128) ) 
RETURNS VARCHAR(128)
DETERMINISTIC
BEGIN 
  DECLARE c CHAR(1); 
  DECLARE s VARCHAR(128); 
  DECLARE i INT DEFAULT 1; 
  DECLARE bool INT DEFAULT 1; 
  DECLARE punct CHAR(17) DEFAULT ' ()[]{},.-_!@;:?/'; 
  SET s = LCASE( str ); 
  WHILE i <= LENGTH( str ) DO
    BEGIN 
      SET c = SUBSTRING( s, i, 1 ); 
      IF LOCATE( c, punct ) > 0 THEN 
        SET bool = 1; 
      ELSEIF bool=1 THEN  
        BEGIN 
          IF c >= 'a' AND c <= 'z' THEN  
            BEGIN 
              SET s = CONCAT(LEFT(s,i-1),UCASE(c),SUBSTRING(s,i+1)); 
              SET bool = 0; 
            END; 
          ELSEIF c >= '0' AND c <= '9' THEN 
            SET bool = 0; 
          END IF; 
        END; 
      END IF; 
      SET i = i+1; 
    END; 
  END WHILE;

  SET s = lowerword(s, 'A');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'An');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'And');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'As');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'At');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'But');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'By');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'For');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'If');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'In');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'Of');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'On');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'Or');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'The');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'To');
  SET s = lowerword(s, 'Via');

  RETURN s; 
END; 
| 
DELIMITER ; 

Usage

Verify it works as expected:

SELECT tcase(title) FROM table;

Use it:

UPDATE table SET title = tcase(title);

Source: http://www.artfulsoftware.com/infotree/queries.php?&bw=1070#122