title: Matching text string on first letter in SQL query
body: <p>SAMPLE CODE:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Dim sql As String = "SELECT * FROM " + tblName + " WHERE needsTranslation = 'True' AND dataText LIKE " &amp; "'" &amp; alpha &amp; "%" &amp; "'" &amp; " ORDER BY dataText;"
  da = New SqlDataAdapter(sql, strConnection)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>OP:
  I would like to create a SQL query that returns all records when the first letter of a string matches my variable. I am coding this in an ASP.net code behind page in vb.net.</p>
  
  <pre><code>SELECT * FROM " + tblName + " WHERE textData = ' &amp; alpha &amp; "
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>In this exmample textData is a string of text and alpha is a single letter a through z or A through Z.</p>
  
  <p>I don't need the criteria to be case sensitive, but I do need only the first letter of textData to match alpha.</p>
  
  <p>I have tested the LIKE comparator and it does not return all records that begin with alpha.</p>
  
  <p>What is the best way to do this? Any and all help will be appreciated.</p>
  
  <p>thanks again,</p>