Re: Using TRANSLATE() to detect numeric strings

Interesting indeed. I've always used the is_numeric function (and possibly indexed the column on it.)

What's that I hear you say? You mean you don't have an is_numeric function available.
Mine reads

create or replace function is_numeric(p_stringval in varchar2) return number is
  l_numval number;
begin
  l_numval := to_number(p_stringval);
  return 1;
exception
  when others then
  return 0;
end is_numeric;
 /

I've never done the runstats thing though. On Jan 25, 2008 4:11 PM, Jared Still <jkstill_at_gmail.com> wrote:

>
> This week I found it necessary to differentiate between strings that
> were composed of numeric data and those that were alphanumeric.
>
> This was kind of fun an interesting.
>
> It was also too long to post here, so I put it on my blog.
>
> http://jkstill.blogspot.com/ if you're interested.
>
>
> --
> Jared Still
> Certifiable Oracle DBA and Part Time Perl Evangelist
>

-- 
Niall Litchfield
Oracle DBA
http://www.orawin.info

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