Re: Operator Link

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 07:10:07 -0200, ecaforum <ecaforum_at_itelefonica.com.br> wrote:
> Friends :
>
> I need to identify in a column if the 3 first characters are about datatye
> number.

Use a function that traps value_error - easier and faster.

Here's an example

create or replace function is_number( chk_data_in varchar2 ) return boolean
is

   dummy number(38,4);
begin

   dummy := to_number(chk_data_in);
   return true;
exception
when value_error then

   return false;
when others then

   raise;
end;
/

show errors function is_number

declare

   v_test varchar2(10) := '1E';
begin

   if is_number(v_test) then

      dbms_output.put_line(v_test || ' is a number');    else

      dbms_output.put_line(v_test || ' is NOT a number');    end if;
end;
/

-- 
Jared Still
Certifiable Oracle DBA and Part Time Perl Evangelist
--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l