MySQL Choose where the first character

Question

How to select the first character of a cell and use it to determine what is returned?

Answer 1

Take a look at MySQL "String" and "Control Flow" Functions .

For instance:

SELECT IF( LEFT( myField, 1) = 'a', 1, 0) FROM myTable; 

will return 1 for fields starting with 'a' and 0 for all other values

Answer 2

Try reading this article.

Choosing strings where the first n-characters are equal (MySQL)

Also provides an article on mysql regexes

http://www.unixcities.com/mysql/manual_regexp.html