function to get only numbers

From: Philippe Makowski <makowski.philippe_at_wanadoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 00:36:21 +0200
Message-ID: <9i05pr$i8b$1@wanadoo.fr>

why this function does not compile ?

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION char2num (charnum in varchar2) RETURN number IS

  i                 number;
  digits            number;
  current_digit     char(1);
  parsechar         varchar2;

BEGIN
  parsechar :='';
  digits := length(charnum);
  for i in 1..digits loop

     current_digit := SUBSTR(charnum, i, 1);
     if current_digit in ('0','1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9') then
        parsechar := parsechar || current_digit;

  end loop;
  return to_number(parsechar);
END char2num; Received on Wed Jul 04 2001 - 17:36:21 CDT