Re: DECODE statement

On Jun 7, 3:01 pm, colmkav <colmj..._at_yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> On 7 Jun, 13:50, sybrandb <sybra..._at_gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
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> > On Jun 7, 1:41 pm, colmkav <colmj..._at_yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > > Hi,
>
> > > anyone know what I have done wrong in the following code? I get an
> > > error saying missing right parenthesis but I dont think this is the
> > > case. Am I using decode wrongly? I get same error if I replace it with
> > > IFF instead
>
> > > select "T_EXPOSURE"."VALUE" as "VALUE",
> > > DECODE("T_EXPOSURETYPE".description='DeltaVal',
> > > DECODE("T_EXPOSURE".Value>=0,"T_EXPOSURE".Value,0),0) AS DeltaValLong
> > > from "T_EXPOSURETYPE" "T_EXPOSURETYPE",
> > > "T_EXPOSURE" "T_EXPOSURE"
>
> > the syntax of decode is
> > decode(<expression>, <alternative1>,<result>, <alternative2>,
> > <result>, <else>)
> > Consequently decode can only test for equality.
> > Your outer decode should have read
> > decode(t_exposuretype.description,'DeltaVal',...)
> > Your inner decode should have read
> > decode(sgn(t_exposure.value),1, "T_EXPOSURE",
> > 0,"T_EXPOSURE",-1,NULL,NULL)
>
> > If on 9i or higher use the CASE statement.
> > IIF is sqlserver and has no place in Oracle
>
> > --
> > Sybrand Bakker
> > Senior Oracle DBA
>
> I am using Oracle XE which doesnt seem to recognise this "SGN"
> function. Is there an alternative?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The function appears to be SIGN, and it still exists in 10g. The alternative I already stated
</quote>> > If on 9i or higher use the CASE statement. </end quote>
Is that unclear? Didn't you understand it, or didn't you read it?

--
Sybrand Bakker
Senior Oracle DBA