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02.15.2008 at 02:56PM PST, ID: 23167587

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8.6

UDB DB2 Database --- select MAX value form CHAR(20) datatype field

Zone: DB2 Database

Tags: UDB DB2 DATABASE

In DB2 i have a data field char(20)
when i execute the following SQL
select fieldname from tablename
1234
abc12ab123
12ab23c23d
ab1234cd
cd1234
42345
67890

when i do select max(fieldname) from tablename

Result should be 67890

i tried many ways but i'm unable to get the result.
I would appreciate if someone can help me..

Thanks

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Question Stats

Zone: Database

Question Asked By: amrex2k

Solution Provided By: momi_sabag

Participating Experts: 3

Solution Grade: A

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02.15.2008 at 03:29PM PST, ID: 20906987

Rank: Master

daveslash:

Since I assume your field is alphanumeric, how exactly is 67890 greater than the other rows?

If you want the maximum NUMERIC value of a character column, you'll have to filter out the rows with non-numeric data.

e.g.
select max(field1)
from deleteme
where IsNumeric(field1) = 1

I'll attach my code for the IsNumeric function.

HTH,
DaveSlash

                       
         
           
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             CREATE FUNCTION IsNumeric (
    inString VARCHAR(100)
)
  RETURNS SmallInt
  LANGUAGE SQL
  modifies sql data
 
BEGIN
-- Scratch variables used for processing
DECLARE stringLength INT;
DECLARE loopCounter INT;
DECLARE charAtPos VARCHAR(1);
 
-- If the incoming string is NULL, return an error
IF (inString IS NULL) THEN
 RETURN 0;
End If;
 
 -- Initialize the scratch variables
 SET stringLength = LENGTH(inString);
 SET loopCounter = 1;
 
 -- Loop over the string
 WHILE (loopCounter <= stringLength) DO
    -- Get the single character off the string
    SET charAtPos = LOWER(SUBSTRING (inString, loopCounter, 1));
 
    IF ((CharAtPos < '0') or (CharAtPos > '9')) then
       RETURN 0;
    END IF;
 
   SET loopCounter = loopCounter + 1;
END WHILE;
 
-- Return the final output
RETURN 1;
END
           
         

Open in New Window

02.15.2008 at 04:20PM PST, ID: 20907216

amrex2k:

Thanks, I have modified changed the datatypes as per db2 and was able to built the function. But when i try to run i get the following error:

IsNumericTEST - Run started.
IsNumericTEST - Exception occurred while running:
[IBM][CLI Driver][DB2/6000] SQL0440N No authorized routine named "ISNUMERICTEST" of type "FUNCTION" having compatible arguments was found. SQLSTATE=42884
IsNumericTEST - Roll back completed successfully.
IsNumericTEST - Run failed.

I appreciate for any suggestions. thanks

CREATE FUNCTION IsNumeric (inString VARCHAR(2))
RETURNS INTEGER;
-- LANGUAGE SQL
-- modifies sql data
BEGIN ATOMIC
-- Scratch variables used for processing
DECLARE stringLength INTEGER;
DECLARE loopCounter INTEGER;
DECLARE charAtPos VARCHAR(1);

-- If the incoming string is NULL, return an error
IF (inString IS NULL) THEN
RETURN 0;
End If;

-- Initialize the scratch variables
SET stringLength = LENGTH(inString);
SET loopCounter = 1;

-- Loop over the string
WHILE (loopCounter <= stringLength) DO
-- Get the single character off the string
SET charAtPos = LOWER(SUBSTR(inString, loopCounter, 1));

IF ((CharAtPos < '0') or (CharAtPos > '9')) then
RETURN 0;
END IF;

SET loopCounter = loopCounter + 1;
END WHILE;

-- Return the final output
RETURN 1;
END

02.15.2008 at 04:58PM PST, ID: 20907373

Rank: Master

daveslash:

Did the error come when creating the function or when using it in a select statement?

If it came when using it, please post the select statement.

-- DaveSlash

02.15.2008 at 04:59PM PST, ID: 20907384

Rank: Master

daveslash:

Also, it looks like you defined the input parameter to have a length of 2. Therefore, most of the data you posted in your original question wouldn't work in this function (since they have lengths much greater than 2).

-- DaveSlash

02.16.2008 at 10:02AM PST, ID: 20910761

Rank: Wizard

momi_sabag:

you can achieve this without a function
if you want to get the numbers sorted before the character letters (which is not defualt behaviour)
you can just exclude the characters like this :
select fieldname from tablename
where fieldname < 'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'
this way it will filter out all the values that begin with a character and not with a digit

note that the order by sequnece is determined by the ccsid you choose, so you might see differences between ebcdic, ascii and unicode

Accepted Solution

02.16.2008 at 02:32PM PST, ID: 20911629

Rank: Wizard

Kdo:

Hi momi,

That sort won't work for embedded or trailing characters. '0a14' sorts higher but is obviously not an integer.

You can search with a couple of built-in functions though

select max (field)
from ....
where trim (translate (field, '', '0123456789')) = '';

Good Luck,
Kent

Kdo

02.18.2008 at 11:16AM PST, ID: 20922560

Sorry Amrex,

But that solution simply doesn't meet your requirements.

Kent

amrex2k

02.18.2008 at 01:44PM PST, ID: 20923748

Kdo,

I tried
select max (fieldname) from schemaname.tablename where trim(translate (fieldname, '', '0123456789')) = '';
In db2 trim don't work.. so i used ltrim..

Could you please tell me if you know any better solutions which works in DB2...

Thanks

Kdo

02.18.2008 at 02:18PM PST, ID: 20924036

Hi amrex,

I was using trim() in a generic sense as the trim, rtrim, and ltrim functions aren't available universally. As I recall, the ltrim and rtrim functions are for DB2/LUW, and the trim function in DB2 for AS/400.

Another possible complication is whether the converted string is evaluated as a char() or varchar(). If char(), you need to compare to the correct length string. If varchar, any number of spaces will do.

As such, try this:

select max (field)
from ....
where cast ((translate (field, '', '0123456789')) to varchar(20)) = '';

Kent

And of course, Dave's solution works fine. It's just a bit more work than you should have to do.

20080236-EE-VQP-29 / EE_QW_2_20070628