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How do I get around this problem "a non-numeric character was found where a numeric was expected "

When I run my code in PHP I get this error message: a non-numeric character was found where a numeric was expected. When I change the last line of code "to_date('1 ' || T1.months) desc " to "to_char('1 ' || T1.months) desc " it works fine. However, it does not sort the data. I am trying to get it to print the months starting with the most recent e.g (February 2011, January 2011, December 2010, ...). Is there a work around this? Or should I try to do it in PHP using a recordset? Please help either way.

Thanks!

select T1.months, T2.totalehrs, T2.totaleexp as totaleexp,
       T2.totalahrs, T2.totalaexp, decode(T2.totalehrs,NULL,'No data Found','') as note
from (
      select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  0  ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual 
union select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  -1 ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual 
union select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  -2 ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual 
union select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  -3 ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual 
union select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  -4 ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual 
union select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  -5 ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual 
union select to_char(add_months(sysdate,  -6 ) , 'MONTH YYYY') as months from dual)  T1,
(
select to_char(completed,'MONTH YYYY') as months, 
    nvl2( SUM(EST_HRS), SUM(EST_HRS) , '0') as totalehrs, 
    nvl2( SUM(EST_EXP), SUM(EST_EXP) , '0') as totaleexp, 
    nvl2( SUM(ACTUAL_HRS), SUM(ACTUAL_HRS), '0') as totalahrs, 
    nvl2( SUM(ACTUAL_EXP), SUM(ACTUAL_EXP), '0') as totalaexp 
from Table 
where 
    completed >= add_months(sysdate,-6)
    group by to_char(completed,'MONTH YYYY')
)  T2
   where T1.months = T2.months(+)
   order by to_date('1 ' || T1.months) desc ;

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SOLUTION

Guy Hengel [angelIII / a3]

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Natavia Finnie

ASKER

@ angellll, I made the change as you mentioned and I also removed the note column "decode(T2.totalehrs,NULL,'No data Found','') as note" and I still get the same error message: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-01858: a non-numeric character was found where a numeric was expected.

I am so confused!!!

SOLUTION

Ovid Burke

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Natavia Finnie

ASKER

Now I get this when I remove the space: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-01861: literal does not match format string

Natavia Finnie

ASKER

So I tried to set my format by doing:
$s = oci_parse($conng, "alter session set nls_date_format='MONTH YYYY'");
oci_execute($s);

Then I get: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-01843: not a valid month

I don't know which is correct or what to do to fix either one :(

Ovid Burke

Try rewriting the line 23 this way:

order by to_date(T1.months, 'l') desc

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Ovid Burke

Hello, I am thinking that the there is still and error in that. So try either of these

order by to_date(T1.months, 'I') desc

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order by to_date(T1.months, 'Y') desc

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Natavia Finnie

ASKER

when I do
order by to_date(T1.months, 'Y') desc
I get this: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-01841: (full) year must be between -4713 and +9999, and not be 0

And when I do
order by to_date(T1.months, 'I') desc
I get this: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-01820: format code cannot appear in date input format

When I do : order by to_date(T1.months, '1') desc
I get this: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-01821: date format not recognized

When I do : order by to_date(T1.months, 1) desc
I get this: Warning: ociexecute() [function.ociexecute]: ORA-00932: inconsistent datatypes: expected DATE got NUMBER

Why so many different warnings?!?!?! I don't know what to do...

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

gatorvip

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Natavia Finnie

ASKER

I want to thank all of you! It finally works!!!!

How do I get around this problem &quot;a non-numeric character was found where a numeric was expected &quot;

How do I get around this problem "a non-numeric character was found where a numeric was expected "