Microsoft KB Archive/47180

= PRB: CONVERTing Character to an Integer Causes Syntax Error =

Article ID: 47180

Article Last Modified on 3/14/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 4.21a Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q47180



SYMPTOMS
According to the &quot;Microsoft SQL Server Language Reference&quot; and Books Online, you can convert from a character to an integer. However, the following statement,

select convert(int,'A')

causes an error similar to the following:

Msg 249, Level 16, State 1

Syntax error converting CHAR value 'A' to an INT4 field



CAUSE
A convert from a char to an integer can only be done if it &quot;makes sense.&quot; For example, you can convert the character &quot;1&quot; (one) to an integer, but you cannot convert the letter &quot;A&quot;. For example

select convert(int,'1')

returns 1 as expected.



WORKAROUND
To return the ASCII numerical representation of a letter, use the ascii function. For example

select ascii('A')

returns 65.

Additional query words: Transact-SQL Windows NT

Keywords: kbother KB47180

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