## NUM(a)

NUM(a) is a conversion function that converts the expression a to a numeric value.

NUM can be applied to character strings (data type CHAR or VARCHAR) with the code attribute ASCII, UNICODE, or BYTE, to date values, time values, timestamp values, and to numeric and Boolean values (BOOLEAN).

| Result of the NUM(a) Function
a is a character string with the code attribute ASCII or UNICODE and can be interpreted as a numeric value | Corresponding numeric value
a is a character string with the code attribute BYTE | Value between 0 and 255 that is determined as follows: The first byte of the character string is converted from hexadecimal notation to decimal notation
a is a numeric value | Unchanged numeric value
a is a Boolean value | 1, if a=TRUE 0, if a=FALSE
a is a character string that cannot be interpreted as a numeric value; a is a character string that does not have the code attribute ASCII, a is neither a numeric nor a Boolean value | Error message
a is a character string that can be interpreted as a numeric value outside the range –9.9999999999999999999999999999999999999E+62, 9.9999999999999999999999999999999999999E+62 | Special NULL value
a is the NULL value | NULL value
a is the special NULL value | Special NULL value