Question

How to evaluate the result of a formula in T-SQL

Asked by: gerry_spearman

I need to evaluate the result of a formula that is stored in a database column.  The formula can be any linear formula.  As a test I have used ((0.44*0.86)/0.32).  I ran across an article in Google Newsgroups that recommended using CAST.  I have tried CAST('((0.44*0.86)/0.32)' AS decimal(16,8)) and receive the error "Error converting data type varchar to numeric."  I am pulling this data into a Powerbuilder datawindow so optimally the solution would involve raw SQL or a UDF.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Gerry

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Asked On
2005-10-26 at 12:51:05ID21608925
Tags

evaluate

,

formulas

,

udf

Topic

MS SQL Server

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: adwisemanPosted on 2005-10-26 at 13:06:23ID: 15166096

Short answer, you can't.  At least not like your thinking.

 

by: adwisemanPosted on 2005-10-26 at 13:11:25ID: 15166133

To evaluate the contents of a record like this you would have to use dynamic SQL.

declare @MyLinearFormula VARCHAR(5000)
declre @script VARCHAR(8000)
declre @Return DECIMAL(16,8)

Select @MyLinearFormula = LinearFormula
FROM MyTable

SELECT @script = 'SELECT @return = ' + @MyLinearFormula
EXEC sp_executesql @script, N'@return DECIMAL(16,8) OUTPUT', @return OUTPUT

 

by: gerry_spearmanPosted on 2005-10-26 at 13:16:44ID: 15166174

I ran across a similar solution to the one you suggested and although it does evaluate the formula, it's not really usable in the context I need.

 

by: adwisemanPosted on 2005-10-26 at 13:23:47ID: 15166232

You need to evaluate the formula for all records, not one at a time.  This is not going to be possible in SQL 2000.  Bossible in SQL 2005 though, using the CLR.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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