SQL Server 2005 supports 23 character string functions:

* ASCII(char) - Returning the code value of a non-Unicode character.

* CHAR(int) - Returning the non-Unicode character of a code value.

* CHARINDEX(word, string, start_location) - Returning the location of the searched "word" in a string.

* DIFFERENCE(string1, string2) - Returning an integer value that indicates the difference between the SOUNDEX values of two strings.

* LEFT(string, length) - Returning a substring of "length" character from the left hand side.

* LEN(string) - Returning the number of characters in the string.

* LOWER(string) - Returning the same string with all upper case characters converted to lower case.

* LTRIM(string) - Returning the same string with leading spaces removed.

* NCHAR(int) - Returning the Unicode character of a code value.

* PATINDEX(pattern, string) - Returning the location of the "pattern" in a string.

* QUOTENAME(string, quote) - Returning the same string enclosed in "quote".