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Dear Experts,

Ok, I hate to ask such a seemingly dumb question, but I've
already spent far too much time on this. More that I
would care to admit.

In Sql server, how do I simply change a character into a number??????

In Oracle, it is:

select to_number(20.55)
from dual

TO_NUMBER(20.55)
----------------
20.55

And we are on with our lives.


In sql server, using the Northwinds database:

SELECT
r.regionid,
STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2)) as a_number,
cast ( STR(r.regionid) as int ) as cast_to_number
FROM REGION R

1 1.00 1 1
2 2.00 2 2
3 3.00 3 3
4 4.00 4 4




SELECT
r.regionid,
STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2) ) as a_number,
cast (STR(r.regionid,7,2) as numeric ) as cast_to_number
FROM REGION R

1 1.00 1 1
2 2.00 2 2
3 3.00 3 3
4 4.00 4 4



Str converts from number to string in one motion.

Isn't there a simple function in Sql Server to convert
from string to number?

What is the secret?

Thanks

dba_222@yahoo.com wrote:
> Dear Experts,
>
> Ok, I hate to ask such a seemingly dumb question, but I've
> already spent far too much time on this. More that I
> would care to admit.
>
> In Sql server, how do I simply change a character into a number??????
>
> In Oracle, it is:
>
> select to_number(20.55)
> from dual
>
> TO_NUMBER(20.55)
> ----------------
> 20.55
>
> And we are on with our lives.
>
>
> In sql server, using the Northwinds database:
>
> SELECT
> r.regionid,
> STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
> CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2)) as a_number,
> cast ( STR(r.regionid) as int ) as cast_to_number
> FROM REGION R
>
> 1 1.00 1 1
> 2 2.00 2 2
> 3 3.00 3 3
> 4 4.00 4 4
>
>
>
>
> SELECT
> r.regionid,
> STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
> CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2) ) as a_number,
> cast (STR(r.regionid,7,2) as numeric ) as cast_to_number
> FROM REGION R
>
> 1 1.00 1 1
> 2 2.00 2 2
> 3 3.00 3 3
> 4 4.00 4 4
>
>
>
> Str converts from number to string in one motion.
>
> Isn't there a simple function in Sql Server to convert
> from string to number?
>
> What is the secret?
>
> Thanks

I don't really understand your problem. CAST does what you want and has
the advantage of being Standard SQL (unlike TO_NUMBER). STR does
something different and isn't needed in this case.

--
David Portas, SQL Server MVP

Whenever possible please post enough code to reproduce your problem.
Including CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements usually helps.
State what version of SQL Server you are using and specify the content
of any error messages.

SQL Server Books Online:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/m...S,SQL.90).aspx
--

Hmm. The question remains the same. (Not, why do I want to do that,
or, what's wrong with what you already have? Or, you shouldn't do
that.)

I want a SIMPLE sql server function like to_number(), or str()
To convert a string to a number.

Does a simple function exist in sql server to do the conversion?
What is the secret?

Thanks

David Portas wrote:
> dba_222@yahoo.com wrote:
> > Dear Experts,
> >
> > Ok, I hate to ask such a seemingly dumb question, but I've
> > already spent far too much time on this. More that I
> > would care to admit.
> >
> > In Sql server, how do I simply change a character into a number??????
> >
> > In Oracle, it is:
> >
> > select to_number(20.55)
> > from dual
> >
> > TO_NUMBER(20.55)
> > ----------------
> > 20.55
> >
> > And we are on with our lives.
> >
> >
> > In sql server, using the Northwinds database:
> >
> > SELECT
> > r.regionid,
> > STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
> > CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2)) as a_number,
> > cast ( STR(r.regionid) as int ) as cast_to_number
> > FROM REGION R
> >
> > 1 1.00 1 1
> > 2 2.00 2 2
> > 3 3.00 3 3
> > 4 4.00 4 4
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > SELECT
> > r.regionid,
> > STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
> > CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2) ) as a_number,
> > cast (STR(r.regionid,7,2) as numeric ) as cast_to_number
> > FROM REGION R
> >
> > 1 1.00 1 1
> > 2 2.00 2 2
> > 3 3.00 3 3
> > 4 4.00 4 4
> >
> >
> >
> > Str converts from number to string in one motion.
> >
> > Isn't there a simple function in Sql Server to convert
> > from string to number?
> >
> > What is the secret?
> >
> > Thanks
>
> I don't really understand your problem. CAST does what you want and has
> the advantage of being Standard SQL (unlike TO_NUMBER). STR does
> something different and isn't needed in this case.
>
> --
> David Portas, SQL Server MVP
>
> Whenever possible please post enough code to reproduce your problem.
> Including CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements usually helps.
> State what version of SQL Server you are using and specify the content
> of any error messages.
>
> SQL Server Books Online:
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/m...S,SQL.90).aspx
> --

Yes, there is a simple function. It is called CAST(). It is has the
advantage of being completely ANSI SQL compliant. And it is easy to use.

Of course, you could make your own FUNCTION if CAST() is too complex or
difficult to use.

I don't get the repeated question. It was asked and answered.

--
Arnie Rowland, Ph.D.
Westwood Consulting, Inc

Most good judgment comes from experience.
Most experience comes from bad judgment.
- Anonymous


<dba_222@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1155683228.310649.322550@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Hmm. The question remains the same. (Not, why do I want to do that,
> or, what's wrong with what you already have? Or, you shouldn't do
> that.)
>
> I want a SIMPLE sql server function like to_number(), or str()
> To convert a string to a number.
>
> Does a simple function exist in sql server to do the conversion?
> What is the secret?
>
> Thanks
>
> David Portas wrote:
>> dba_222@yahoo.com wrote:
>> > Dear Experts,
>> >
>> > Ok, I hate to ask such a seemingly dumb question, but I've
>> > already spent far too much time on this. More that I
>> > would care to admit.
>> >
>> > In Sql server, how do I simply change a character into a number??????
>> >
>> > In Oracle, it is:
>> >
>> > select to_number(20.55)
>> > from dual
>> >
>> > TO_NUMBER(20.55)
>> > ----------------
>> > 20.55
>> >
>> > And we are on with our lives.
>> >
>> >
>> > In sql server, using the Northwinds database:
>> >
>> > SELECT
>> > r.regionid,
>> > STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
>> > CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2)) as a_number,
>> > cast ( STR(r.regionid) as int ) as cast_to_number
>> > FROM REGION R
>> >
>> > 1 1.00 1 1
>> > 2 2.00 2 2
>> > 3 3.00 3 3
>> > 4 4.00 4 4
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > SELECT
>> > r.regionid,
>> > STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
>> > CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2) ) as a_number,
>> > cast (STR(r.regionid,7,2) as numeric ) as cast_to_number
>> > FROM REGION R
>> >
>> > 1 1.00 1 1
>> > 2 2.00 2 2
>> > 3 3.00 3 3
>> > 4 4.00 4 4
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Str converts from number to string in one motion.
>> >
>> > Isn't there a simple function in Sql Server to convert
>> > from string to number?
>> >
>> > What is the secret?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>>
>> I don't really understand your problem. CAST does what you want and has
>> the advantage of being Standard SQL (unlike TO_NUMBER). STR does
>> something different and isn't needed in this case.
>>
>> --
>> David Portas, SQL Server MVP
>>
>> Whenever possible please post enough code to reproduce your problem.
>> Including CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements usually helps.
>> State what version of SQL Server you are using and specify the content
>> of any error messages.
>>
>> SQL Server Books Online:
>> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/m...S,SQL.90).aspx
>> --
>

The ANSI/ISO international standard for the SQL language
does not provide the function you want. Oracle chose to add
a proprietary nonstandard function for this (which seems not
to allow you to specify the specific number type, and there are
many), and SQL Server uses the ANSI/ISO CAST function and
requires a type.

SELECT CAST('20.55' AS DECIMAL(4,2))

You can (if you know the consequences) use implicit conversion:

SELECT 100.00*'20.55'
SELECT 10000.0000*'20.55'
SELECT 1E0*'20.55'

If you aren't happy with what SQL offers as a language, there are
plenty of other languages in the world of computing from which
you can choose another.

Steve Kass
Drew University

<dba_222@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1155683228.310649.322550@h48g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
> Hmm. The question remains the same. (Not, why do I want to do that,
> or, what's wrong with what you already have? Or, you shouldn't do
> that.)
>
> I want a SIMPLE sql server function like to_number(), or str()
> To convert a string to a number.
>
> Does a simple function exist in sql server to do the conversion?
> What is the secret?
>
> Thanks
>
> David Portas wrote:
>> dba_222@yahoo.com wrote:
>> > Dear Experts,
>> >
>> > Ok, I hate to ask such a seemingly dumb question, but I've
>> > already spent far too much time on this. More that I
>> > would care to admit.
>> >
>> > In Sql server, how do I simply change a character into a number??????
>> >
>> > In Oracle, it is:
>> >
>> > select to_number(20.55)
>> > from dual
>> >
>> > TO_NUMBER(20.55)
>> > ----------------
>> > 20.55
>> >
>> > And we are on with our lives.
>> >
>> >
>> > In sql server, using the Northwinds database:
>> >
>> > SELECT
>> > r.regionid,
>> > STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
>> > CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2)) as a_number,
>> > cast ( STR(r.regionid) as int ) as cast_to_number
>> > FROM REGION R
>> >
>> > 1 1.00 1 1
>> > 2 2.00 2 2
>> > 3 3.00 3 3
>> > 4 4.00 4 4
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > SELECT
>> > r.regionid,
>> > STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
>> > CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2) ) as a_number,
>> > cast (STR(r.regionid,7,2) as numeric ) as cast_to_number
>> > FROM REGION R
>> >
>> > 1 1.00 1 1
>> > 2 2.00 2 2
>> > 3 3.00 3 3
>> > 4 4.00 4 4
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Str converts from number to string in one motion.
>> >
>> > Isn't there a simple function in Sql Server to convert
>> > from string to number?
>> >
>> > What is the secret?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>>
>> I don't really understand your problem. CAST does what you want and has
>> the advantage of being Standard SQL (unlike TO_NUMBER). STR does
>> something different and isn't needed in this case.
>>
>> --
>> David Portas, SQL Server MVP
>>
>> Whenever possible please post enough code to reproduce your problem.
>> Including CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements usually helps.
>> State what version of SQL Server you are using and specify the content
>> of any error messages.
>>
>> SQL Server Books Online:
>> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/m...S,SQL.90).aspx
>> --
>