Empty Output? How Do I Determine the Character?

Hunter Hillegas <lists@lastonepicked.com> writes:

I cannot determine what character is stored in a varchar...
For instance:
thedonnaholics=# select state from mailing_list where rec_num = 7;
state
-------

(1 row)

I'd say it's either NULL or between one and five space characters.
To find out, try something like

select '>' || state || '<' from mailing_list where rec_num = 7;

regards, tom lane

Ok... I don't think that it is null:
thedonnaholics=# select count(*) from mailing_list where state = null;
count
-------
0
(1 row)

I ran the query you suggested but I don't know what it means:
thedonnaholics=# select '>' || state || '<' from mailing_list where rec_num
= 7;
?column?
----------

(1 row)

Any insight appreciated.

Thanks,
Hunter

Hunter Hillegas <lists@lastonepicked.com> writes:

I ran the query you suggested but I don't know what it means:
thedonnaholics=# select '>' || state || '<' from mailing_list where rec_num
= 7;
?column?
----------

(1 row)

It means it's NULL. (Hint: foo = NULL is not the same as foo IS NULL.)

regards, tom lane