Compare non numeric data using arithmetic operations

Question

Hi
Is there anyway to compare the non numeric data in a table to a numeric number.
Want to run a query like
SELECT rank_id
                                      FROM   mas_rank
                                      WHERE  rank_code > 26 Rank_code contains numeric as well as some non numeric data
Thanx for the help

Answer 1

Yes, it will work if you just say > '26' See this demo :
SQL> create table mas_rank(rank_id number,rank_code varchar2(2));
Table created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (100,'aa');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (101,'ab');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (102,'ad');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (103,'ag');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (104,'ac');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (105,'22');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (106,'25');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (107,'26');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (108,'27');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (109,'aa');
1 row created.
SQL> insert into mas_rank values (110,'28');
1 row created.
SQL> SELECT rank_id
  2                                        FROM   mas_rank
  3                                        WHERE  rank_code not in ('ab','ad','ag')
  4                                                 and rank_code > 26;
                                               and rank_code > 26
ERROR at line 4:
ORA-01722: invalid number
SQL> ed
Wrote file afiedt.buf
  1  SELECT rank_id
  2                                        FROM   mas_rank
  3                                        WHERE  rank_code not in ('ab','ad','ag')
  4*                                                and rank_code > '26'
SQL> /
   RANK_ID
       100
       104
       108
       109
       110
SQL>Regards
Girish Sharma