Re: Help: to_number SQL*Plus error

For a field that has this value:
12312SDDF234, your formulation still causes the SQL script to error out. For a field like this, I don't want to convert the value to a number, but rather to ignore it so it doesn't cause the SQL script to break.

Joost.

On Mon, 21 Dec 1998 15:40:18 -0500, "BK" <bkamiche2_at_sanmiguelind.com.pe> wrote:

>try to_number(ltrim(rtrim(field))
>
>Joost Ouwerkerk <joost.ouwerkerk_at_sickkids.on.ca> wrote in message
>news:367e8cf4.13972395_at_resunix.sickkids.on.ca...
>>I am trying to cast a VARCHAR2 field into a number using TO_NUMBER for
>>a calculation (credit card check digit verification algorithm) using
>>only SQL*plus. The script errors out with an 'Invalid number'
>>message, presumably because one of the VARCHAR2 field contains a
>>non-numeric character. I've already TRANSLATEd dashes and spaces out,
>>and I suppose I could add the whole alphabet in there, but is there no
>>other way to find out if a field contains non-numeric chars?
>>
>>Joost Ouwerkerk
>>Toronto, Canada
>
>
Received on Tue Dec 22 1998 - 09:39:48 CST