VARCHAR scalar function

The schema is SYSIBM. The function name cannot be specified as a qualified name when keywords are used in the function signature.

The result of the function is a varying-length character string. If the first argument can be null, the result can be null. If the first argument is null, the result is the null value.

Integer to varchar

integer-expression

An expression that returns a value that is of an integer data type (SMALLINT, INTEGER, or BIGINT).

The result is the varying-length string representation of integer-expression in the form of an SQL integer constant. The length attribute of the result depends on whether integer-expression is a small, large or big integer as follows:

• If the first argument is a small integer, the maximum length of the result is 6.
• If the first argument is a large integer, the maximum length of the result is 11.
• If the first argument is a big integer, the maximum length of the result is 20.

The actual length of the result is the smallest number of characters that can be used to represent the value of the argument. Leading zeros are not included. If the argument is negative, the first character of the result is a minus sign. Otherwise, the first character is a digit.

The code page of the result is the code page of the section.

Decimal to varchar

decimal-expression

An expression that returns a value that is a decimal data type. The DECIMAL scalar function can be used to change the precision and scale.

decimal-character

Specifies the single-byte character constant that is used to delimit the decimal digits in the result character string. The character constant cannot be a digit, the plus sign (+), the minus sign (-), or a blank (SQLSTATE 42815). The default is the period (.) character.

The result is a varying-length character string representation of decimal-expression in the form of an SQL decimal constant. The length attribute of the result is 2+p, where p is the precision of decimal-expression. The actual length of the result is the smallest number of characters that can be used to represent the result, except that trailing zeros are included. Leading zeros are not included. If decimal-expression is negative, the first character of the result is a minus sign; otherwise, the first character is a digit or the decimal character. If the scale of decimal-expression is zero, the decimal character is not returned.

The code page of the result is the code page of the section.

Floating-point to varchar

floating-point-expression

An expression that returns a value that is a floating-point data type (DOUBLE or REAL).

decimal-character

Specifies the single-byte character constant that is used to delimit the decimal digits in the result character string. The character constant cannot be a digit, the plus sign (+), the minus sign (-), or a blank (SQLSTATE 42815). The default is the period (.) character.

The result is a varying-length character string representation of floating-point-expression in the form of an SQL floating-point constant.

The maximum length of the result is 24. The actual length of the result is the smallest number of characters that can represent the value of floating-point-expression such that the mantissa consists of a single digit other than zero followed by the decimal-character and a sequence of digits. If floating-point-expression is negative, the first character of the result is a minus sign; otherwise, the first character is a digit. If floating-point-expression is zero, the result is 0E0.

The code page of the result is the code page of the section.

Decimal floating-point to varchar

decimal-floating-point-expression

An expression that returns a value that is a decimal floating-point data type (DECFLOAT).

decimal-character

Specifies the single-byte character constant that is used to delimit the decimal digits in the result character string. The character constant cannot be a digit, the plus sign (+), the minus sign (-), or a blank (SQLSTATE 42815). The default is the period (.) character.

The result is a varying-length character string representation of decimal-floating-point-expression in the form of an SQL decimal floating-point constant. The maximum length of the result is 42. The actual length of the result is the smallest number of characters that can represent the value of decimal-floating-point-expression. If decimal-floating-point-expression is negative, the first character of the result is a minus sign; otherwise, the first character is a digit. If decimal-floating-point-expression is zero, the result is 0.

If the value of decimal-floating-point-expression is the special value Infinity, sNaN, or NaN, the strings "INFINITY", "SNAN", and "NAN", respectively, are returned. If the special value is negative, the first character of the result is a minus sign. The decimal floating-point special value sNaN does not result in a warning when converted to a string.

The code page of the result is the code page of the section.

Character to varchar

character-expression

An expression that returns a value that is a built-in character string data type.

integer

An integer constant that specifies the length attribute for the resulting varying-length character string. The value must be between 0 and the maximum length for the VARCHAR data type in the string units of the result.

If the second argument is not specified:

• If the character-expression is the empty string constant, the length attribute of the result is 0.
• Otherwise, the length attribute of the result is the lower of the following values:
  • The maximum length for the VARCHAR data type in the string units of the result
  • The length attribute of the first argument

The result is a varying-length character string. The length attribute of the result is determined by the value of integer. If character-expression is the FOR BIT DATA subtype, the result is FOR BIT DATA.

If the length of character-expression is greater than the length attribute of the result, several scenarios exist:

• If the string unit of the result is CODEUNITS32, truncation is performed. If only blank characters are truncated and character-expression is CHAR or VARCHAR, no warning is returned. Otherwise, a warning is returned (SQLSTATE 01004).
• If integer is specified, truncation is performed. If only blank characters are truncated and character-expression is CHAR or VARCHAR, no warning is returned. Otherwise, a warning is returned (SQLSTATE 01004). When part of a multi-byte character is truncated, that partial character is replaced with the blank character. Do not rely on this behavior because it might change in a future release.
• If integer is not specified, an error is returned (SQLSTATE 22001).

Graphic to varchar

graphic-expression

An expression that returns a value that is a built-in graphic string data type.

integer

An integer constant that specifies the length attribute for the resulting varying-length character string. The value must be between 0 and the maximum length for the VARCHAR data type in the string units of the result.

If the second argument is not specified:

• If the graphic-expression is the empty string constant, the length attribute of the result is 0.
• If the string units of graphic-expression is CODEUNITS32, the length attribute of the result is the lower of the following values:
  • The maximum length for the VARCHAR data type in the string units of the result
  • The length attribute of the first argument
• Otherwise, the length attribute of the result is the lower of the following values:
  • The maximum length for the VARCHAR data type in the string units of the result
  • 3 * length attribute of the first argument

The result is a varying-length character string that is converted from graphic-expression. The length attribute of the result is determined by the value of integer.

If the length of graphic-expression that is converted to a character string is greater than the length attribute of the result, several scenarios exist:

• If the string unit of the result is CODEUNITS32, truncation is performed. If only blank characters are truncated and graphic-expression is GRAPHIC or VARGRAPHIC, no warning is returned. Otherwise, a warning is returned (SQLSTATE 01004).
• If integer is specified and graphic-expression is a GRAPHIC or VARGRAPHIC, truncation is performed with no warning returned.
• If integer is specified and graphic-expression is a DBCLOB, truncation is performed with a warning returned (SQLSTATE 01004).
• If integer is not specified and graphic-expression is a GRAPHIC or VARGRAPHIC, truncation is performed with no warning returned.
• If integer is not specified and graphic-expression is a DBCLOB, an error is returned (SQLSTATE 22001).

Datetime to varchar

datetime-expression

An expression that is of one of the following data types:

DATE

The result is the character string representation of the date in the format specified by the second argument. The length of the result is 10. An error is returned if the second argument is specified and is not a valid value (SQLSTATE 42703).

TIME

The result is the character string representation of the time in the format specified by the second argument. The length of the result is 8. An error is returned if the second argument is specified and is not a valid value (SQLSTATE 42703).

TIMESTAMP

The result is the character string representation of the timestamp. If the data type of datetime-expression is TIMESTAMP(0), the length of the result is 19. If the data type of datetime-expression is TIMESTAMP(n), where n is between 1 and 12, the length of the result is 20+n. Otherwise, the length of the result is 26. The second argument must not be specified (SQLSTATE 42815).

The code page of the result is the code page of the section.

Notes

• The CAST specification should be used to increase the portability of applications when the first argument is numeric, or the first argument is a string and the length argument is specified.
• A binary string is allowed as the first argument to the function, and the resulting varying-length string is a FOR BIT DATA character string.

Examples

• Example 1: Make EMPNO varying-length with a length of 10.

     SELECT VARCHAR(EMPNO,10)
       INTO :VARHV
       FROM EMPLOYEE

• Example 2: Set the host variable JOB_DESC, defined as VARCHAR(8), to the VARCHAR equivalent of the job description (which is the value of the JOB column), defined as CHAR(8), for employee Dolores Quintana.

     SELECT VARCHAR(JOB)
       INTO :JOB_DESC
       FROM EMPLOYEE
       WHERE LASTNAME = 'QUINTANA'

• Example 3: The EDLEVEL column is defined as SMALLINT. The following returns the value as a varying-length character string.

     SELECT VARCHAR(EDLEVEL)
       FROM EMPLOYEE
       WHERE LASTNAME = 'HAAS'

  Results in the value '18'.
• Example 4: The SALARY and COMM columns are defined as DECIMAL with a precision of 9 and a scale of 2. Return the total income for employee Haas using the comma decimal character.

     SELECT VARCHAR(SALARY + COMM, ',')
       FROM EMPLOYEE
       WHERE LASTNAME = 'HAAS'

  Results in the value '56970,00'.