In Microsoft Access, which two wildcard characters are used for pattern matching?
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Aasterisk (); percent sign (%)
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Bpercent sign (%); underscore ()
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Cunderscore (); question mark (?)
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Dquestion mark (?); asterisk ()
Answer
Correct Answer: question mark (?); asterisk ()
Explanation
Introduction / Context:Different database systems support different wildcard characters. Knowing the Access-specific syntax is important for writing correct queries in Jet SQL or Access SQL.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Access differs from SQL-92 standard in wildcard characters.
- We are specifically discussing Microsoft Access, not SQL Server or Oracle.
Concept / Approach:In Access, * (asterisk) represents any sequence of characters, and ? (question mark) represents any single character. This contrasts with SQL-92, where % and _ are the equivalents.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Check Access documentation: LIKE 'Sm?th' matches Smith, Smythe, etc.Therefore, Access uses ? and .Verification / Alternative check:MS Access Help confirms * and ? as the wildcard set.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:%, _: SQL-92 standard, not Access. , %: Mixed standard with Access, incorrect combination.
Common Pitfalls:Using % and _ in Access queries, which will not work unless running in ANSI-92 mode.
Final Answer:question mark (?); asterisk (*)