Find Closest Match Data

Question

Find Closest Match Data

jsnv

SSC-Addicted

Points: 403
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November 18, 2008 at 11:06 pm

#72101

Hi,
I have a problem to find closest match data inputted with the one in Table.
eg. In my Table, i have data like this.
0010
11242
0011246
0011264
11284
11345
585
5852
then my script are
declare @mcode varchar(10)
set @mcode= '5857275'
what i need that the script that return the number 585.
if @mcode= '00112476'
Then the script return the number 0011246
How can i archived that ?
Thx

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krayknot SSCertifiable Points: 7998 More actions · Answer 1

jsnv (11/18/2008)
Hi,
I have a problem to find closest match data inputted with the one in Table.
eg. In my Table, i have data like this.
0010
11242
0011246
0011264
11284
11345
585
5852
then my script are
declare @mcode varchar(10)
set @mcode= '5857275'
what i need that the script that return the number 585.
if @mcode= '00112476'
Then the script return the number 0011246
How can i archived that ?
Thx

closest match from left, right or middle?? and how many characters???

kshitij kumar
kshitij@krayknot.com
www.krayknot.com

jsnv SSC-Addicted Points: 403 More actions · Answer 2

thanks for response

The closest match are from left, and the length the data for now is 9 Char, but in database set to 40 char.

Thx

ChiragNS One Orange Chip Points: 26137 More actions · Answer 3

Where LEFT (col,4) like or equal to LEFT(@Var,4)

You can substitute the value 4 by an appropriate value.

"Keep Trying"

Sergiy SSC Guru Points: 110206 More actions · Answer 4

jsnv (11/18/2008)
Hi,
I have a problem to find closest match data inputted with the one in Table.
eg. In my Table, i have data like this.
0010
11242
0011246
0011264
11284
11345
585
5852
then my script are
declare @mcode varchar(10)
set @mcode= '5857275'
what i need that the script that return the number 585.
if @mcode= '00112476'
Then the script return the number 0011246
How can i archived that ?
Thx

You need to define your criteria more clear.

As for me, 5857275 is closer to 5852 then to 585 - 4 matched digits against 3.

You need to figure out the rules, build an algorithm and then start worry about SQL or other programming language implementation.

_____________
Code for TallyGenerator

Mark Cowne One Orange Chip Points: 26944 More actions · Answer 5

Try this, you'll need a numbers/tally table

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/TSQL/62867/

declare @mcode varchar(40)

set @mcode= '5857275' -- 585

set @mcode= '00112476' -- 0011246

select top 1 t.mcode

from mytable t

inner join Numbers n on n.Number between 1 and len(t.mcode)

and left(t.mcode,n.Number)= left(@mcode,n.Number)

group by t.mcode

order by max(n.Number) desc, len(t.mcode)

____________________________________________________

Deja View - The strange feeling that somewhere, sometime you've optimised this query before

How to get the best help on a forum

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 6

Token matching works quite well...

[font="Courier New"]DROP TABLE #Table

CREATE TABLE #Table (TheValues VARCHAR (20))

INSERT INTO #Table (TheValues)

SELECT '0010' UNION ALL

SELECT '11242' UNION ALL

SELECT '0011246' UNION ALL

SELECT '0011264' UNION ALL

SELECT '11284' UNION ALL

SELECT '11345' UNION ALL

SELECT '585' UNION ALL

SELECT '5852'

DECLARE @mcode VARCHAR(20)

SET @mcode= '5857275'

SET @mcode= '00112476'

SELECT TOP 1 c.TheValues, (COUNT(*) * 100) / (LEN(@mcode)-2.00) AS MatchLevel

FROM [Numbers] n

INNER JOIN #Table c ON CHARINDEX(SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3), @mcode) > 0

WHERE n.number <= LEN(@mcode) AND LEN(SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)) = 3

GROUP BY c.TheValues

ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC

[/font]

Results:

TheValues TokenMatches

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

585 2

0011246 4

Cheers

ChrisM

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

jsnv SSC-Addicted Points: 403 More actions · Answer 7

Wow, the tally concept works perfectly Thanks Mark 😀

And the token match also can be used Thanks Chris 😀

Thanks you all for the solution, many many thanks :D:D:D

jcrawf02 SSC-Insane Points: 24198 More actions · Answer 8

Chris, not following the phrase 'token matching' - looks like you're calculating a percent match based on the values in the table versus your @mcode, so I can see four matches in the values for the string, but why are we dividing by len(@mcode)-2.00?

---------------------------------------------------------
How best to post your question[/url]
How to post performance problems[/url]
Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

"stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 9

Hi

It works like this. For two equal strings, say @mcode= '0011246';

Split c.TheValues into chunks (tokens), and test each one to see if it appears anywhere in @mcode. The tokens in '0011246' are as follows:

001

011

112

124

246

...because they must be three characters long. So the maximum number of distinct tokens which can match between two equal strings (a single token could match more than once) is @mcode-2.

HTH

ChrisM

[font="Courier New"]SELECT @mcode, c.TheValues, SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)

FROM [Numbers] n

INNER JOIN #Table c ON CHARINDEX(SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3), @mcode) > 0

WHERE n.number <= LEN(@mcode) AND LEN(SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)) = 3

AND c.TheValues = '0011246'

ORDER BY c.TheValues, SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)[/font]

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

jcrawf02 SSC-Insane Points: 24198 More actions · Answer 10

Chris Morris (11/20/2008)
Hi
It works like this. For two equal strings, say @mcode= '0011246';
Split c.TheValues into chunks (tokens), and test each one to see if it appears anywhere in @mcode. The tokens in '0011246' are as follows:
001
011
112
124
246
...because they must be three characters long. So the maximum number of distinct tokens which can match between two equal strings (a single token could match more than once) is @mcode-2.
HTH
ChrisM
[font="Courier New"]SELECT @mcode, c.TheValues, SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)
FROM [Numbers] n
INNER JOIN #Table c ON CHARINDEX(SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3), @mcode) > 0
WHERE n.number <= LEN(@mcode) AND LEN(SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)) = 3
AND c.TheValues = '0011246'
ORDER BY c.TheValues, SUBSTRING(c.TheValues, n.number, 3)[/font]

Excellent explanation, crystal clear. Thanks!

Jon

---------------------------------------------------------
How best to post your question[/url]
How to post performance problems[/url]
Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

"stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

PappyBlueRibs99 SSC Rookie Points: 34 More actions · Answer 11

Chris, thank you SO much for this -- years after your post, it is still helping people!