SQL Server Full-Text Search for exact match with fallback

Question

First off there seems to be no way to get an exact match using a full-text search. This seems to be a highly discussed issue when using the full-text search method and there

Answer 1

In Oracle I've used UTL_MATCH for similar purposes. (http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/appdev.112/e25788/u_match.htm)

Even though using the Jaro Winkler algorithm, for instance, might take awhile if you compare the title column from table 1 and table 2, you can improve performance if you partially join the 2 tables. I have in some cases compared person names on table 1 with table 2 using Jaro Winkler, but limited results not just above a certain Jaro Winkler threshold, but also to names between the 2 tables where the first letter is the same. For instance I would compare Albert with Aden, Alfonzo, and Alberto, using Jaro Winkler, but not Albert and Frank (limiting the number of situations where the algorithm needs to be used).

Jaro Winkler may actually be suitable for movie titles as well. Although you are using SQL server (can't use the utl_match package) it looks like there is a free library called "SimMetrics" which has the Jaro Winkler algorithm among other string comparison metrics. You can find detail on that and instructions here: http://anastasiosyal.com/POST/2009/01/11/18.ASPX?#simmetrics