RE: To_Number

Since we don't have that many 3rd party software packages I did make the mistake of asking 'Why??' and received 'Because!' so I too am trying to jump in and 'fix it'. As I responded to another email earlier, the RTrim worked because there were spaces after the amount which was causing the problem. The only problem now is I have one record (so far) that has a unit cost that looks like any other unit cost, yet I receive 'invalid number' for it. The only thing I can figure is that there must be an unprintable character in the field that I cannot see and rtrim is not deleting since it isn't a space.

Laura

-----Original Message-----
[mailto:JApplewhite_at_austin.isd.tenet.edu] Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 5:34 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Rachel,

We have two Third Party apps here for Finance and Student Information that do ridiculous stuff like this so often, I just immediately jumped into "fix it" mode without even questioning. "Don't even ask why" is our motto. ; -)

Jack C. Applewhite
Database Administrator
Austin Independent School District
Austin, Texas
512.414.9715 (wk)
512.935.5929 (pager)
JApplewhite_at_austin.isd.tenet.edu  

                    Rachel

                    Carmichael           To:     Multiple recipients of list
ORACLE-L       
                    <wisernet100_at_Y        <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>

                    AHOO.COM>            cc:

                    Sent by:             Subject:     Re: To_Number

                    root_at_fatcity.c

                    om

 

 

                    12/05/2002

                    03:49 PM

                    Please respond

                    to ORACLE-L

 

 

Am I the only one wondering why an obviously numeric field (unit_cost???) is being stored as varchar?

• JApplewhite_at_austin.isd.tenet.edu wrote:
  >
  > Laura,
  >
  > Are those really zeros in $34,000.05 or are they letter Os? If so
  > use
  > Replace. (Beware of letter l being used instead of numeral 1 as
  > well.)
  >
  > Any leading or trailing spaces? If so use Trim(unit_cost).
  >
  > Just a couple of quick suggestions.
  >
  > Jack C. Applewhite
  >
  >
  >Burton, Laura
  >
  > I have a table which contains a Unit_Cost varchar2(16) which contains
  > $34,000.05. I can enter select
  > to_number('$34,990.08','$999,999,999.99')
  > from dual; and the results is 34990.08. However when I enter select
  > to_number(unit_cost,'$999,999,999.99') from elas.qdr I get ora-01722:
  > invalid number.
  >
  > Is there any other way to do this? I am trying to add a varchar2
  > field
  > that contains $ and commas. I thought the to_number function would
  > convert
  > the data to a number field.
  >
  > Thanks,
  >
  > Laura
  

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