SQL FUNCTIONS

FUNCTIONS
 Functions are very powerful feature of SQL used to
manipulate data items .
 SQL functions are built into oracle database and are
operated for use in various appropriate SQL
statements.
 If you call a SQL function with a null argument, then
the SQL function automatically returns null. The only
SQL functions that do not necessarily follow this
behavior are CONCAT, NVL, REPLACE,
and REGEXP_REPLACE.
 Functions are similar to operators in that they
manipulate data items and return a result.
 SQL FUNCTION

Function
s
Arg 1 Function performs
action
arg2 Resullt
value

Arg n
ADVANTAGES OF FUNCTION
 Function can be used to perform complex
calculations on data.
 Functions can modify individual data items
 Function can very easily manipulate output
for groups of rows. Function can manipulate
character as well as numeric type of data.
 function can alter date formats for display
 TYPES OF FUNCTION
 There are two types of function:
 Single row functions
 Multiple row functions
 SINGLE ROW FUNCTION
 These function operate on single rows only and
return one value for ach row, column name or an
expression. Single-row functions can be used in
SELECT. WHERE and ORDER by clauses.
 Syntax of using a single-row function is
function_name [(arg1, arg2,…..)]

 Where, function_name is the name of the function.

arg1,arg2 is any argument to be used by the
function. This can be represented by a user-supplied
constant value, variable value, column name or an
expression.
TYPES OF SINGLE ROW
FUNCTIONS
 There are different types of single row
function:
 Character functions
 Number functions/arithmatic functions
 Date functions
 conversion functions
 General functions
 Aggregate functions
STRING/CHARACTER FUNCTION
 1.LOWER:- returns char, with all letters in
lowercase
Syntax:-lower(char)
e.g. select lower(‘IVAN
BAYROSS’)”Lower” from dual;
Output=ivan bayross
2.INITCAP:- returns a string with the first letter of
each word in upper case.
Syntax:- initcap(char)
e.g. select initcap(‘IVAN BAYROSS’)”Title
case” from dual;
Output=Ivan Bayross
 3.UPPER:- returns char, with all letters in
uppercase.
syntax:- upper(char)
e.g. select upper(‘ivan
bayross’)”capitalized” from dual;
Output= IVAN BAYROSS
4.SUBSTR:-This function returns a portion of a
string from a given start point to an end point. If
a substring length is not given, then SUBSTR
returns all the characters till the end of string
returns a portion of characters beginning at
character m, and going up to character n. if n
is omitted the result returned is up to the last
character in the string. The first position of
char is 1.
Syntax:- substr(<string>,<start_position>,[<length>])
 Where string is source string
 start_position is the position for extraction.
The first position in the string is always 1.
 Length is the number of character is extract.
e.g. select substr(“secure”,3,4)
”Substring” from dual;
Output= cure
5.ASCII:-returns the number code that
represents the specified character. If more
than one character is entered, the function
will return the value for the first character
and ignore all the characters after the first.
syntax:-ascii(character)
e.g. select ascii(‘a’) “Ascii 1”,
ascii(‘A’)”ascii 2”, ascii(‘cure’)”ascii “
from dual;
ouput= 97 65 99
6. LENGTH:- returns a length of a word.
Syntax:- length(word)
e.g. select length(‘sharanam’)
“length” from dual;
Output= 8
 7.LTRIM:- returns characters from the left of
char with initial characters removed upto the
first character not in set.
Syntax:-ltrim(char[,set])
e.g. select ltrim(‘nisha’,’n’)”ltrim” from
dual;
Output= isha
8. RTRIM:- returns char, with final characters
removed after the last character not in set.
‘set’ is optional, it defaults to spaces.
Syntax:- rtim(char[,set])
e.g. select rtrim(‘sunila’,’a’)”rtrim”
from dual;
Output= sunil
 9. TRIM:- remove all specified character
either from beginning or the ending of a string.
Syntax:- trim([leading|trailing|
both[<trim_charac ter> from]]<string>)
e.g. select trim(‘ hansel ‘)”trim both
side” from dual;
Output=hansel
e.g. select trim(leading ‘x’ from
‘xxxhanselxxx’)”remove prefixes” from
dual;
Output= hanselxxx
e.g. select trim(both ‘x’ from
‘xxxhanselxxx’) from dual;
Output=hansel
 10.LPAD:- returns char1, left-papped to
length n with the sequence of character
specified in char2.
Syntax:- lpad(‘char1,n[,char2])
E.g. select lpad(‘page1’,10,’*’)”lpad”
from dual;
Output=*****page1
11. RPAD:- returns char1, right papped to
length n with the character specified in
char2.
Syntax:- rpad(char1,n[,char2])
e.g. select rpad(ivan,10,’x’)”rpad”
from dual;
Output=ivanxxxxxx
 Concat()=
select convcat(‘string1’,’string’) from dual;
 Reverse()

Select reverse(‘string’) from dual;

 INSTR()=This function returns numeric position of
a character or a string in a given string. Optionally,
you can provide a position m to start searching, and
the occurrence n of string. Also, if the starting
position is not given, then it starts search from
index 1, by default. If after searching in the string,
no match is found then, INSTR function returns 0.
SELECT INSTR('Google apps are great
applications','app',1,2) FROM DUAL;
REPLACE : This function searches for a character string and, if found,
replaces it with a given replacement string at all the occurrences of
the string. REPLACE is useful for searching patterns of characters
and then changing all instances of that pattern in a single function
call.
If a replacement string is not given, then REPLACE function removes
all the occurrences of that character string in the input string.
REPLACE(Text, search_string, replacement_string)

SELECT REPLACE('DATA MANAGEMENT',

'DATA','DATABASE') FROM DUAL;

DATABASE MANAGEMENT

SELECT REPLACE('abcdeabcccabdddeeabcc', 'abc') FROM DUAL;

deccabdddeec
NUMERIC FUNCTIONS…..
• 1. ABS:- returns the absolute value of ‘n’.
syntax:- ABS(-15)
e.g. Select ABS(-15) “absolute” from
dual;

• 2.POWER:- returns m raised to the nth

power. n must be an integer else an
error is returned.
syntax:-power(m,n)
e.g. Select power(3,2)”raised” from
dual;
 3.Round:-returns n, rounded to m places to
the right of the decimal point. If m is
omitted, n is rounded to 0 places, m can be
negative to round off digits to the left of the
decimal point. m must be an integer
syntax:-round(n,[m])
e.g. select round(15.91,1) from dual;
output=15.2
4.SQRT:- returns square root of n.
syntax:-sqrt(n)
e.g. select sqrt(25) from dual;
output=5
 5.EXP:-returns e raised t the nth power
where e=2.71828183
syntax:- exp(n)
E.g. select exp(5) from dual;
Output=148.413159
• 7. GREATEST :- returns a greatest value in a
list of expressions.
Syntax:-greatest(expr1,expr2,expr3…expr
n)
e.g.:- select greatest(4,5,17)”num”,
greatest(‘4’,’5’,’17’)”text” from dual;
output= 17 5
• 8.LEAST:- returns the least value in a list of
expressions.
Syntax:- least(expr1,expr2,…..,exprn);
e.g. select least(4,5,17)”num”,
least(‘4’,’5’,’17’)”text” from dual;
Output= 4 17
• 9.MOD :-returns the remainder of a first
number divided by second number passed a
parameter. If the second number is zero the
result of the same as the first number
Syntax:-mod(m,n)
e.g. select mod(15,7)”mod1”,
mod(15.7,7)”mod2” from dual;
Output= 1 1.7
• 10.TRUNC:- returns a number truncated to a
certain no. of decimal places. The decimal
place value is must be an integer.
Syntax:- trunc(no,[decimal_places])
e.g. select trunc(125.815,1)”trunc1”,
trunc(125.815,-2)”trunc2” from dual;
Output= 125.8 100
11. FLOOR:- return a largest integer value
that is equal to less than a number.
Syntax:-floor(n)
e.g. select floor(24.8)”flr1”,
floor(13.15)”flr2” from dual;
Output=24 13
12.CEIL:-return the smallest integer value
that is greater than or equal to a number.
Syntax:-ceil(n)
e.g. select ceil(24.8)”ceil”,
ceil(13.15)”ceil2” from dual;
Output= 25 14
 Ceil(9.8) result 10
 FLOOR(9.8) result 9
 COS(45)
 EXP(n)
 MOD(n1,n2) like mod(14,5)
 LOG(n1,n2)
 Power(n1,n2)
 Round(n1,n2) 12345,2 result 12300 and
12345.54321,2 12345.54
 SIGN(n) -1 for –ve 1 for +ve and 0 for zero
 Sqrt(n) 49 7

GENERAL FUNCTIONS
 The general comparison functions determine the greatest and
least value from a set of values. Some general functions also
help to find the detail of current database user. Few of the
general functions available in oracle are:
Greatest(exp1,exp2,exp3….)
 This function returns the greatest value in the list of
expressions. Each expression is implicitly converted to the type
of expression (exp1) before the comparison are made .
 If the first expression is numeric, then the oracle determines
the argument with the highest numeric precedence, implicitly
converts the remaining arguments to that data type before the
comparison , and return that data type.
 If the first expression(exp1) is not numeric, then each
expression after the first is implicitly converted to the data
type of the first expression before the comparison.
Example:
SELECT GREATEST(33,55,66) FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
GREATEST(33,55,66)
-------------------------------
66
EXAMPLE:
SELECT GREATEST (‘R’,’A’,’Z’) FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
G
-----------

Z
EXAMPLE :
GREATEST(‘HARD’,’HARRY’,’HAROLD’) FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
GREAT
-----------

HARRY
 Least(exp1,exp2,exp3…)
This function returns the least value in the list of expressions.
LEAST function behaves same like Greatest , in which all expressions
are implicitly converted to the data type of the first.
EXAMPLE:
Select least(44,22,7) from dual;
Output:
Least(44,22,7)
--------------------------
7
AGGREGATE FUNCTIONS.....

• 1.AVG :- returns the average value

syntax:- Select avg(sal) from emp;

• 2.MIN :- return the minimum value of expr.

syntax :-select min(sal) from emp;

• 3.COUNT :- returns the no. of rows where

expr. Is not null
syntax:-select count(acct_no) from
acct_mstr;
• 4.COUNT(*) :- Returns the no. of rows in a
table including duplicates and
those with null.
syntax:- select count(*)”no of records”
from acct_mstr;

• 5.MAX:- Returns the minimum value of expr.

syntax:-select max(curbal) from
acct_mstr;

• 6.SUM:-Returns the sum of the value of ‘n’

syntax:-select sum(curbal) from
acct_mstr;
DATE FUNCTIONS
 Oracle database stores date in an internal numeric
format, representing the century , Year, month, day
hours, minutes, and seconds. The default date
display format is DD_MON_YY.
 Date function operates on oracle dates. These
are the function that takes values of DATE datatype
as input and return values of date datatype as
output, except for the MONTHS_BETWEEN function,
which returns a number as output. Few date
functions are as given below.
 SYSDATE
SYSDATE is a pseudo-column that returns the system’s current
date and time of type DATE. The SYSDATE can be used just as any
other column name. it takes no arguments. When used in distributed
SQL statements, SYSDATE returns the date and time of the local
database.
Example:
SELECT SYSDATE FROM DUAL;
output: O3-SEP-13

 ADD_MONTH(d,n)

This function adds or subtract months to or from date, it returns a date as result.
Example:
SELECT SYSDATE, ADD_MONTHS(SYSDATE,4) FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
SYSDATE ADD_MONTHS
------------ ------------------
03-APR-13 03-AUG-13
 MONTHS_BETWEENd1,d2)
This function returns the number of months between two dates, d1and
d2. if d1 is later than d2, then the result is positive. If d1 is earlier than d2,
then the result is negative. The output will be a number.
Example
SELECT MAONTHS_BETWEEN(“25-DEC-81’,25-DEC-79’) AS DATE1,
MONTHS_BETWEEN(‘25-DEC-79’,’25-DEC-81’) AS DATE2 FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
DATE1 DATE2
--------- ----------
24 -24

 NEXT_DAY(DATE,DAY)
THIS FUNCTION RETURNS THE DATE OF NEXT SPECIFIED DAY OF THE WEEK AFTER THE
‘DATE’.
EXAMPLE
SELECT SYSDATE, NEXT_DAY(SYSDATE,’FRIDAY) FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
SYSDATE NEXT_Day(
------------- ---------------
03-SEP-13 06-SEP-13
 LAST_DAY(d)
This function returns the date of the last day of the month specified. The result will
be a date.
Example:
SELECT SYSDATE, LAST_DAY(SYSDATE) FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
SYSDATE LAST_DAY(
------------ ---- -------------------
03-SEP-13 30-SEP-13

 ROUND(d[,format])

This function rounds the date d to the unit specified by format. If format is not
specified, is default to ‘DD’ , which rounds d to the nearest day.
Example:
SELECT SYSDATE, ROUND(SYSDATE,’MM’) AS “NEAREST MONTH” FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
SYSDATE NEAREST M
-------------- ---------------
03-SEP-13 01-SEP-13
 TRUNC(d[,formt ])
This function returns the date d truncated to the
unit specified by format. If format is omitted, then it
defaults to ‘DD’, which truncates d to the nearest day.
Example:
SELECT SYSDATE, TRUNC(SYSDATE,’YEAR’) AS “FIRST DAY” FROM DUAL;
OUTPUT:
SYSDATE FIRST DAY
--------------- ------------------
03-SEP-13 01-JAN-13