VARCHAR

Click to skip syntax diagram

Datetime to Varchar

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-VARCHAR--(--datetime-expression--+--------------+--)--------><
                                    '-,--+-ISO---+-'
                                         +-USA---+
                                         +-EUR---+
                                         +-JIS---+
                                         '-LOCAL-'
 

Character to Varchar

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-VARCHAR (--character-expression------------------------------>
 
>--+--------------------------------+--)-----------------------><
   '-,--+-length--+--+------------+-'
        '-DEFAULT-'  '-,--integer-'
 

Graphic to Varchar

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-VARCHAR (--graphic-expression-------------------------------->
 
>--+--------------------------------+--)-----------------------><
   '-,--+-length--+--+------------+-'
        '-DEFAULT-'  '-,--integer-'
 

Integer to Varchar

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-VARCHAR--(--integer-expression--)---------------------------><
 

Decimal to Varchar

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-VARCHAR------------------------------------------------------>
 
>--(--decimal-expression--+----------------------+--)----------><
                          '-,--decimal-character-'
 

Floating-point to Varchar

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram>>-VARCHAR------------------------------------------------------>
 
>--(--floating-point-expression--+----------------------+--)---><
                                 '-,--decimal-character-'
 

The VARCHAR function returns a character-string representation of:

The result of the function is a varying-length 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.

Datetime to Character

datetime-expression
An expression that is one of the following three built-in data types
date
The result is the character-string representation of the date in the format specified by the second argument. If the second argument is not specified, the format used is the default date format. If the format is ISO, USA, EUR, or JIS, the length attribute and actual length of the result is 10. Otherwise the length attribute and actual length of the result is the length of the default date format. For more information see String representations of datetime values.
time
The result is the character-string representation of the time in the format specified by the second argument. If the second argument is not specified, the format used is the default time format. The length attribute and actual length of the result is 8. For more information see String representations of datetime values.
timestamp
The second argument is not applicable and must not be specified.

The result is the character-string representation of the timestamp. The length attribute and actual length of the result is 26.

The CCSID of the string is the default SBCS CCSID at the current server.
ISO, EUR, USA, or JIS
Specifies the date or time format of the resulting character string. For more information, see String representations of datetime values.
LOCAL
Specifies that the date or time format of the resulting character string should come from the DATFMT, DATSEP, TIMFMT, and TIMSEP attributes of the job at the current server.

Character to Varchar

character-expression
An expression that returns a value that is a built-in CHAR, VARCHAR, or CLOB data type.
length
An integer constant that specifies the length attribute for the resulting varying length character string. The value must be between 1 and 32740 (32739 if nullable). If the first argument is mixed data, the second argument cannot be less than 4.

If the second argument is not specified or DEFAULT is specified:

The actual length of the result is the minimum of the length attribute of the result and the actual length of character-expression. If the length of the character-expression is greater than the length attribute of the result, truncation is performed. A warning (SQLSTATE 01004) is returned unless the truncated characters were all blanks.

integer
An integer constant that specifies the CCSID of the result. It must be a valid SBCS CCSID, mixed data CCSID, or 65535 (bit data). If the third argument is an SBCS CCSID, then the result is SBCS data. If the third argument is a mixed CCSID, then the result is mixed data. If the third argument is 65535, then the result is bit data. If the third argument is a SBCS CCSID, then the first argument cannot be a DBCS-either or DBCS-only string.

If the third argument is not specified then:

Graphic to Varchar

graphic-expression
An expression that returns a value that is a GRAPHIC, VARGRAPHIC, and DBCLOB data type. It must not be DBCS-graphic data.
length
An integer constant that specifies the length attribute for the resulting varying length character string. The value must be between 1 and 32740 (32739 if nullable). If the first argument contains DBCS data, the second argument cannot be less than 4.

If the second argument is not specified or DEFAULT is specified, the length attribute of the result is determined as follows (where n is the length attribute of the first argument):

The actual length of the result is the minimum of the length attribute of the result and the actual length of graphic-expression. If the length of the character-expression is greater than the length attribute of the result, truncation is performed. A warning (SQLSTATE 01004) is returned unless the truncated characters were all blanks.

integer
An integer constant that specifies the CCSID of the result. It must be a valid SBCS CCSID or mixed data CCSID. If the third argument is an SBCS CCSID, then the result is SBCS data. If the third argument is a mixed CCSID, then the result is mixed data. The third argument cannot be 65535.

If the third argument is not specified, the CCSID of the result is the default CCSID at the current server. If the default CCSID is mixed data, then the result is mixed data. If the default CCSID is SBCS data, then the result is SBCS data.

Integer to Varchar

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

The result is a varying-length character string of the argument in the form of an SQL integer constant. The result consists of n characters that are the significant digits that represent the value of the argument with a preceding minus sign if the argument is negative. It is left justified.

The actual length of the result is the smallest number of characters that can be used to represent the value of the argument. Leading zeroes 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 CCSID of the result is the default SBCS CCSID at the current server.

Decimal to Varchar

decimal-expression
An expression that returns a value that is a packed or zoned decimal data type (either DECIMAL or NUMERIC). If a different precision and scale is desired, the DECIMAL scalar function can be used to make the change.
decimal-character
Specifies the single-byte character constant that is used to delimit the decimal digits in the result character string. The character must be a period or comma. If the second argument is not specified, the decimal point is the default decimal point. For more information, see Decimal point.

The result is a varying-length character string representation of the argument. The result includes a decimal character and up to p digits, where p is the precision of the decimal-expression with a preceding minus sign if the argument is negative. Leading zeros are not returned. Trailing zeros are returned.

The length attribute of the result is 2+p where p is the precision of the 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 characters are included. Leading zeros are not included. If the argument is negative, the result begins with a minus sign. Otherwise, the result begins with a digit.

The CCSID of the result is the default SBCS CCSID at the current server.

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 must be a period or comma. If the second argument is not specified, the decimal point is the default decimal point. For more information, see Decimal point.

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

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

The CCSID of the result is the default SBCS CCSID at the current server.

Note

Syntax alternatives: If the length attribute is specified, the CAST specification should be used for maximal portability. For more information, see CAST specification.

Example