wrkqry vs sql result difference

I have a query that I'm trying to convert to sql.
The query has a join file(2) matched records with primary file
Sorted by area and account

There are a dozen or so records not in the secondary file however, when the results display I get something like this

AREA Account

' ' 1
' ' 2
' ' 3
AREA1 10
AREA1 11


When I convert this to SQL I don't' get the same results, because of the NULL values, but I can't figure out how to get the null converted to a space in the query
My results look like this

AREA Account
' ' 2
AREA1 10
AREA1 11

- 1

- 3


I have tried using select ifnull(ara, ' ') as area
And coalesce(ara, ' ') as area
But no luck

My query looks like this

Select ara, acct, name

From file1 left outer join file2

On acct = f2acct
Order by ara, acct

Thanks

MIke



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