How do I check if a SQL Server text column is empty?

To get only empty values (and not null values):

SELECT * FROM myTable WHERE myColumn = ''

To get both null and empty values:

SELECT * FROM myTable WHERE myColumn IS NULL OR myColumn = ''

To get only null values:

SELECT * FROM myTable WHERE myColumn IS NULL

To get values other than null and empty:

SELECT * FROM myTable WHERE myColumn <> ''

<br>
And remember use LIKE phrases only when necessary because they will degrade performance compared to other types of searches.

I know there are plenty answers with alternatives to this problem, but I just would like to put together what I found as the best solution by @Eric Z Beard & @Tim Cooper with @Enrique Garcia & @Uli Köhler.

If needed to deal with the fact that space-only could be the same as empty in your use-case scenario, because the query below will return 1, not 0.

SELECT datalength(' ')

Therefore, I would go for something like:

SELECT datalength(RTRIM(LTRIM(ISNULL([TextColumn], ''))))

Use [**DATALENGTH**][1] method, for example:


SELECT length = DATALENGTH(myField)
FROM myTABLE





[1]:

[To see links please register here]

SELECT * FROM TABLE
WHERE ISNULL(FIELD, '')=''

try this:

select * from mytable where convert(varchar, mycolumn) = ''


i hope help u!

Instead of using `isnull` use a `case`, because of performance it is better the case.

case when campo is null then '' else campo end

In your issue you need to do this:
```
case when campo is null then '' else
case when len(campo) = 0 then '' else campo en
end
```
Code like this:
```
create table #tabla(
id int,
campo varchar(10)
)

insert into #tabla
values(1,null)

insert into #tabla
values(2,'')

insert into #tabla
values(3,null)

insert into #tabla
values(4,'dato4')

insert into #tabla
values(5,'dato5')

select id, case when campo is null then 'DATA NULL' else
case when len(campo) = 0 then 'DATA EMPTY' else campo end
end
from #tabla

drop table #tabla
```

DECLARE @temp as nvarchar(20)

SET @temp = NULL
--SET @temp = ''
--SET @temp = 'Test'

SELECT IIF(ISNULL(@temp,'')='','[Empty]',@temp)

> **It will do two things:**
>
> 1. Null check and string null check
> 2. Replace empty value to default value eg NA.




SELECT coalesce(NULLIF(column_name,''),'NA') as 'desired_name') from table;