how to search sqlite database using regular expression in android?

Question

I am trying to search a database using regular expression in sqlite. Here is my code:

cursor = db.rawQuery("SELECT _id, employee FROM employees WHERE employee REGEXP ?", 
                    new String[]{"%" + prepareSearchText()  + "%"});
    adapter = new SimpleCursorAdapter(
            this,
            R.layout.search_row, 
            cursor, 
            new String[] {"_id", "employee "}, 
            new int[] {R.id.idField, R.id.nameField});
    setListAdapter(adapter);

However I am getting this error:

Caused by: android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException: no such function: REGEXP.

I used the function REGEXP in MySQL before so I assumed it exists in sqlite, but apparently it is not.

What is the best way to perform regular expression when querying sqlite database in android?

Answer 1

In sqllite the "REGEXP" function is not included by default and you need to "roll your own".

However the "LIKE" operator should do what you want as long as your searches are reasonably simple.

the docs