Re: Peculiar results from a simple looking query.

Steve H wrote:

> Thanks for everyone's time and effort...
>
> At this stage I'm not in a position to open a "TAR" as I've no account
> on Metalink – and so far my search for someone with a "Support
> Identifier" has proven fruitless.
>
> I accept that there are many ways my query can be re-written using
> "Standard SQL" – but the issue I'm addressing is one associated with
> porting an existing complex legacy application which makes extensive
> use of CAST.

I can not think of a worse reason to do something.

What you are saying in effect is ... if it worked well this way in product A then I am going to use it in product B even if it has performance problems and is not the recommended syntax.

Just plain bad practice in any programming language.

Rethink your strategy.

-- 
Daniel A. Morgan
University of Washington
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with 'u' to respond)