Re: SQL to sort numbers stored as strings? -- MIDRANGE-L

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Subject: Re: SQL to sort numbers stored as strings?
From: Vern Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:36:50 -0500
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Hi James

If by "numeric" value you mean the number without spaces, you can use this in SQL with the replace function -

values replace('1 2 3 4', ' ', '')

This replaces spaces with nothing. Multiple spaces become multiple nothings. This returns the value 1234.

Of course, you don't use the "values" keyword in the SELECT, right?

Regards
Vern

I have a PF with a fixed-length character string field that contains either digits (padded with spaces), or just spaces.

I want to SELECT DISTINCT on that column, and then order the result set by the *numeric* value of the field.

And I'm having trouble figuring out how to do that.

--
JHHL

Follow-Ups:

Re: SQL to sort numbers stored as strings? , James H. H. Lampert

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