SQL method to replace repeating blanks with single blanks

Question

Is there a more elegant way of doing this. I want to replace repeating blanks with single blanks....

   declare @i int

    set @i=0
    while @i <= 20
           


        

Answer 1

Not very SET Based but a simple WHILE would do the trick.

CREATE TABLE #myTable (myTextColumn VARCHAR(32))

INSERT INTO #myTable VALUES ('NoSpace')
INSERT INTO #myTable VALUES ('One Space')
INSERT INTO #myTable VALUES ('Two  Spaces')
INSERT INTO #myTable VALUES ('Multiple    Spaces    .')

WHILE EXISTS (SELECT * FROM #myTable WHERE myTextColumn LIKE '%  %')
  UPDATE  #myTable 
  SET     myTextColumn = REPLACE(myTextColumn, '  ', ' ') 
  WHERE   myTextColumn LIKE '%  %'

SELECT * FROM #myTable

DROP TABLE #myTable