How to put a Varchar into a Number?

To those who have helped me already, thanks again. And, to those who help in the future thanks in advance.

I have been trying a syntax similar to the following:

DECLARE

	MyNum		NUMBER(20,2);
	MyVar		VARCHAR2(20);
	CURSOR test_cur is select * from XXXX;
	test_val test_cur%ROWTYPE;

BEGIN
	Open test_cur;
	Fetch test_cur into test_val;
	-- test_val.cost is a a VARCHAR2 with this in it =è '006.100'
	MyVar := test_val.cost ;
	REPLACE( MyVar . '.' );
	MyNum := MyVar; -- *********** Blows here 

END;   I thought Oracle would automatically convert the Varchar2 in the line marked "*********** Blows here" to a NUMBER. However, that does not seem to work. Using TO_NUMBER(MyVar ); doesn't work either;

Does any one know how I can convert a Vaarchar2 into a Number so I can then do a ( MyNum / 5 )?

Best,

Ken Sproule
Kenmn_at_tds.net Received on Tue Feb 08 2000 - 20:47:49 CST