Converting a Binary to a Varchar

Why not use cast (@a as int)

as in the next example:

declare @a binary(16), @b bigint

select @a = 2147483647
select @b = cast (@a as int)
select @a, @b

Regards,
Uri

Read the question again, I have already tried that, and Microsoft themselves do not recommend this course of action, but they do not give a solution......

Read the question again, I have already tried that, and Microsoft themselves do not recommend this course of action, but they do not give a solution......

print @CompanyID returns 0x0000000000002E66


set @Message = 'Company No: ' + Convert(varchar, Cast (@CompanyID as bigint))
Print @Message

returns

Company No: 11878

Garfy,

Well, I am not sure of your purpose, but it is an interesting challenge, so I wrote some code for you. Here it is:

declare @CompanyID binary(8)
declare @Byte int
declare @Digit int
declare @String varchar(30)
declare @I int

select @CompanyID = 0x0000000000002E66

select @I=1
select @String = 'Value is 0x'
while @I < 9
  begin
  select @Byte = substring(@CompanyID, @I, 1)
  select @Digit = floor(@Byte / 16)
  select @String = @String + substring('0123456789ABCDEF', @Digit + 1, 1)
  select @Digit = @Byte % 16
  select @String = @String + substring('0123456789ABCDEF', @Digit + 1, 1)
  select @I = @I + 1
  end

select @string as 'Converted String'

This code returns the following:
Converted String              
------------------------------
Value is 0x0000000000002E66

(1 row(s) affected)

BTW, the value 0x0000000000002E66 is a hexadecimal number equal to 11878 decimal as your query shows. You can confirm it by using windows calculator in scientific mode to convert the decimal number to hex.

Hope this helps.

-Bob

Sadly, by using substring, and I was still not able to add the binary number to another string.......  it keeps saying that you cannot add a string and binary.....    I am using SQL 2000.  Microsoft appear to be aware of a problem with binaries and strings but they have not posted a resolution.  I am hoping someone here has one...  

All I want to do is run these lines

********************************************************
/*set @Message = ('Update ' + @Tname + ' set ' + @Fname + ' = ' + Convert(varchar,@CompanyID) + ' where ' + @Fname + ' = ' + CONVERT(varchar, @ContactID))

exec (@Message)
*********************************************************

CompanyID and ContactID are binary numbers.......

Garfy,

If this what you looking for:

declare @a binary(16)
select @a = 0x0000000000002E66
select @a, '<' + dbo.fn_sqlvarbasetostr(@a) + '>'

output:
0x0000000000002E660000000000000000     <0x0000000000002e660000000000000000>

Uri

or even better use dbo.fn_varbintohexstr(@a)

I got so excited....  but then I got this error message

Server: Msg 208, Level 16, State 1, Procedure rc_spCompIDsameContIDnotOrphans, Line 143
Invalid object name 'dbo.fn_varbintohexstr'.

Garfy,

I am only using SQL 7 and I don't know why you are having so much trouble with SQL 2000. Anyway, here's a hack which works on SQL 7 and doesn't use substring on binary data:

declare @CompanyID binary(8)
declare @Binary binary(4)
declare @Integer int
declare @Decimal decimal(20)
declare @Digit int
declare @String varchar(30)
declare @I int

select @CompanyID = 0x0000000000002E66
select @Binary = @CompanyID
select @Integer = @Binary
select @Decimal = convert(decimal, @Integer) * power(convert(decimal,2), 32)
select @Integer = @CompanyID
select @Decimal = @Decimal + convert(decimal, @Integer)
if @Integer < 0 select @Decimal = @Decimal + power(convert(decimal, 2), 32)

select @I=1
select @String = ''
while @I < 17
 begin
 select @Digit = @Decimal - floor(@Decimal / 16) * 16
 select @String = substring('0123456789ABCDEF', @Digit + 1, 1) + @String
 select @Decimal = floor(@Decimal / 16)
 select @I = @I + 1
 end
Select @String = 'Value is 0x' + @String

select @string as 'Converted String'

Converted String              
------------------------------
Value is 0x0000000000002E66

(1 row(s) affected)


It only works with data up to 8 bytes (2 integers) long, but it could be extended by adding more interim binary variables. Not elegant code, but may help.

-Bob

thank you thank you thank you.  You are a marvel.  Is there a function that does the reverse??????

thank you thank you thank you.  You are a marvel.  Is there a function that does the reverse??????

I hunted for a way to concatenate a binary field with text.

Master.dbo.fn_varbintohexstr worked for me!