How to find and update columns containing a superscript character - sql

Question

I'm using a SQL Server database. In a specific column, in some cells (which are of type varchar), there is this character : ³
I don't know how to find cells containing this character, and replace this character with character j.
When I use this query to find cells :
SELECT *
FROM table
WHERE col LIKE '%³%'
I get regular 3's as well.
Can you tell me how to do these? I looked up in the internet but I couldn't find what I want. Thanks.

Answer 1

All you need to do is:
UPDATE table
SET col = replace(col, N'³', 'j');
You don't need to search for the rows before updating / replacing the values, so no need for a SELECT. All you need to do is UPDATE.
If you want to add more conditions to filter your rows and only update some, you can just use a WHERE clause and specify more filters.
UPDATE table
SET col = replace(col, N'³', 'j');
WHERE col NOT LIKE '%..%'
AND col2 ...
AND col3 ...
etc.
You can use the same WHERE clause in a simple SELECT to see what rows will get updated before running the UPDATE.
In order not to go over all of the rows and to make your query faster, you can add a WHERE clause to update only the rows which contain that character.
EDIT/UPDATE (final):
In order to detect if data is uppercase / superscript you need to use collation:
UPDATE #t
SET col = replace(col, NCHAR(179) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS, 'j');

Answer 2

This only works if you are using a case sensitive collation, use NCHAR(179) to represent the superscript:
create table #t (col1 nvarchar(50) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS)
INSERT INTO #t
VALUES (NCHAR(179)),('3')
UPDATE #t
SET col1 = REPLACE(col1, NCHAR(179), 'j')
WHERE col1 like N'%' + NCHAR(179) + N'%'
SELECT *
FROM #t
**EDIT
As Radu has pointed out this will work without the table having case sensitive collation:
create table #t (col1 nvarchar(50))
INSERT INTO #t
VALUES (NCHAR(179)),('3')
UPDATE #t
SET col1 = REPLACE(col1, NCHAR(179) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS, 'J')
WHERE col1 like N'%' + NCHAR(179) + N'%' COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS
SELECT *
FROM #t