====== MIN_PART_STRING Function - PL/HQL ======

MIN_PART_STRING function finds the minimum value (first in alphabetical order) for the specified partition column of type STRING (VARCHAR/CHAR).

**Syntax**:

<code language="sql">
MIN_PART_STRING([db_name.]table_name [, column_name [, part_col=filter, ...]]); 
</code>

**Parameters:**

| **Parameter** | **Type** | **Value** | **Description** |
| [dbname.]table_name | VARCHAR | Identifier, variable or expression | Table name |
| column_name | VARCHAR | Identifier, variable or expression | Partition column name | 
| part_col=filter | | | Partition filter |

**Notes**:

  * If column name is not specified, the first partition column is used
  * Partition filter applied before finding the minimum value

**Return Value:**

  * The minimum string for the specified partition
  * NULL if the table or partition do not exist, or the table is empty

**Return Type:**

STRING (VARCHAR/CHAR).

**Example 1:**

Table //db.orders// is partitioned by //country// and has the following partitions:

| country=US |
| country=UK |
| country=DE |

Find the minimum value of the partition:

<code language="sql">
MIN_PART_STRING(db.orders); 
</code> 

Result: DE

**Example 2:**

Table //db.sales// is partitioned by //country// and //local_date// and has the following partitions:

| country=US/local_date=2014-12-02 |
| country=DE/local_date=2014-12-04 |
| country=UK/local_date=2014-12-04 | 

Find the minimum value for //country// partition column for local_date '2014-12-04':

<code language="sql">
MIN_PARTITION_STRING(db.sales, country, local_date='2014-12-04'); 
</code> 

Result: DE

**Compatibility**: PL/HQL extension.

**Version:** PL/HQL 0.01

See also:

  * [[max-part-string|MAX_PART_STRING(table, colname, partition_spec)]]
  * [[max-part-int|MAX_PART_INT(table, colname, partition_spec)]]
  * [[min-part-int|MIN_PART_INT(table, colname, partition_spec)]]
  * [[max-part-date|MAX_PART_DATE(table, colname, partition_spec)]]
  * [[min-part-date|MIN_PART_DATE(table, colname, partition_spec)]]