Oracle/PLSQL: Cast Function

In Oracle/PLSQL, the cast function converts one datatype to another.

The syntax for the cast function is:

cast ( { expr | ( subquery ) | MULTISET ( subquery ) } AS type_name )

The following casts are allowed:

TO FROM

char, varchar2 number datetime / interval raw rowid, urowid nchar, nvarchar2

char, varchar2 X X X X X

number X X

datetime / interval X X

raw X X

rowid, urowid X X

nchar, nvarchar2 X X X X X

Applies To:

Oracle 9i, Oracle 10g, Oracle 11g

For example:

select cast( '22-Aug-2003' AS varchar2(30) )
from dual;

This would convert the date (ie: 22-Aug-2003) into a varchar2(30) value.