# Syntax for strings in ij commands

Some `ij` commands require string arguments.

## Syntax

    'Text'

`ij` strings are represented by the same literal format as SQL strings and are delimited by single quotation marks. To include a single quotation mark in a string, you must use two single quotation marks, as shown in the examples below. `ij` places no limitation on the lengths of strings, and will treat embedded new lines in the string as characters in the string.

Some `ij` commands execute SQL commands specified as strings. Therefore, you must double any single quotation marks within such strings, as shown in the second example below.

The cases of letters within a string are preserved.

## Examples

    This is a string in ij     And this is its value
    'Mary''s umbrella'          Mary's umbrella
    'hello world'               hello world

    --returns Joe's
    execute 'VALUES ''Joe''''s''';

Parent topic: ij commands and errors reference
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