Null Values in a table not properly selected

[Jacob]

I am using SQL Server 7.0. I have a table with a field called PARENT_ID,
which has a numerical value entered for those which have a logical parent,
and has an empty value for those that do not. I want to select the records
which have a PARENT_ID = '' (Parent_ID equal to nothing). The following
code, however, returns an empty set of results. Could somebody please point
out where the error lies in the code?

SELECT LOC_NAME, LOC_ID, PARENT_ID FROM SYS_LOCATIONS WHERE PARENT_ID = ''

I've also tried:

SELECT LOC_NAME, LOC_ID, PARENT_ID FROM SYS_LOCATIONS WHERE PARENT_ID = Null

Neither appear to be working correctly. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jacob

[Marvin Thompson]

What is the data type of parent_id? If it is numeric, then 0 is the value
when it is not set.

might also try

WHERE (PARENT_ID & '') = ''

This will handle the null or zero length values for PARENT_ID


"Jacob" <yak2016@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%23am1fkwQDHA.2676@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...

> I am using SQL Server 7.0. I have a table with a field called PARENT_ID,
> which has a numerical value entered for those which have a logical parent,
> and has an empty value for those that do not. I want to select the

records

> which have a PARENT_ID = '' (Parent_ID equal to nothing). The following
> code, however, returns an empty set of results. Could somebody please

point

> out where the error lies in the code?
>
> SELECT LOC_NAME, LOC_ID, PARENT_ID FROM SYS_LOCATIONS WHERE PARENT_ID = ''
>
> I've also tried:
>
> SELECT LOC_NAME, LOC_ID, PARENT_ID FROM SYS_LOCATIONS WHERE PARENT_ID =

Null

>
> Neither appear to be working correctly. Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Jacob
>
>