Re: SQL Function

Is this a riddle? Technically, null isn't a number and to_number won't fail on it. Other than that, I'd say nothing.

Richard

Daniel Morgan wrote:
>
> Richard Kuhler wrote:
>
> > I think it will give an error if the data isn't a number (unlike the
> > pl/sql function Daniel gave you).
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > Prasad Yarlagadda wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks Daniel for that info.
> > >
> > > I was really looking to avoid doing this in a PL/SQL block. What do you
> > > think about using
> > >
> > > if mod(number, number) = 0 then it is a number?
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > > Prasad
> > >
> > > "Daniel Morgan" <dmorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message
> > > news:3CCD7138.5FEF4BF5_at_exesolutions.com...
> > > > Prasad Yarlagadda wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Is there any standard SQL function available to check whether an array
> > > of
> > > > > characters is a String or a Number? I am looking for something like
> > > > > IS_NUMBER or IS_CHARACTER. I don't want to write a function for it if
> > > oracle
> > > > > has already provided.
> > > > >
> > > > > TIA,
> > > > > Prasad
> > > >
> > > > No. This must be done in a PL/SQL block such as the following:
> > > >
> > > > BEGIN
> > > > test := TO_NUMBER(somevalue);
> > > > <do something>
> > > > EXCEPTION
> > > > WHEN OTHERS THEN
> > > > <do something else>
> > > > END;
> > > >
> > > > If you don't do it this way you need to be very careful about what you
> > > decide is
> > > > a number. For example ... is 8.1.7.3 a number? It would be with a lot of
> > > code
> > > > I've seen written.
> > > >
> > > > Daniel Morgan
> > > >
>
> What can you try to cast with TO_NUMBER that isn't and won't cause it to fail?
>
> Daniel Morgan
Received on Mon Apr 29 2002 - 18:00:43 CDT