Question on Function Return values

I wrote a function that usually returns a number but in a specific case of the logic , it should return a character. How is this possible. Here is what I mean.

create or replace function xx_test return number is

blah number;

begin

if logic = true
 then return (blah ); --returns number this is what is going on now... else
return ('INvoice number not found'); --This is text i need to return

How is this possible?

Please let me know as this is stopping me going further.

Thanks
Ian

I am using oracle 8.1.7 as the database.... Received on Thu Jan 17 2002 - 17:45:03 CST