sql functions

*objectives :
*explain & demonstrate use of expressions
*list the type of sql function categories
*explain & demonstrate arithmetic functions
*explain & demonstrate character functions
*explain & demonstrate date functions
*explain & demonstrate other functions
*explain & demonstrate aggregate/group functions
*explain & demonstrate the group by clause

using expressions with columns

*arithmetic calculations can be done on numeric columns
*aliases can be displayed in place of column or expression

example :
1. list the total salary and pf of all the employees. pf is
calculated as 10% of salary.

column functions
*the functions supported by oracle can be classified
into following categories :
*aggregate/group functions
*arithmetic functions
*character functions
*date functions
*general functions
arithmetic functions
*abs(n)
*mod(m,n)
*sign(n)
*sqrt(n)
*trunc(m,n)
*round(m,n)
character functions
*initcap (string)
*lower (string)
*upper (string)
*lpad (char1,n[,char2])
*rpad(char1, n [,char2])
*trim (leading or trailing or both trim_char from
string_source)
*substr(string, m[,n])
*instr(string, search_char,[ m, n])
*length (string)
*concat(string1, string2)

date functions
*add_months (d1, n)
*greatest(d1, d2,...)
*least(d1,d2,...)
*last_day(d)
*months_between(d1, d2)
*next_day (date, day)
*to_date(char, f)
*to_char(d,f)

sample date - `13-dec-1995’

format description example
mm number of months (1-12) 12
rm roman numeral month xii
mon three-letter abbreviation dec
month month fully spelt out december
ddd day of the year (1-366) 347
dd day of the month (1-31) 13
d day of the week (1-7) 4
dy three-letter wed
abbreviation of day
day day spelt out wednesday
y last digit of the year 5
yy last 2 digits of the year 95
yyy last 3 digits of the year 995
yyyy full 4 digits of the year 1995
year year spelt out ninteen ninety-five
hh, hh12 hour of day (1-12) 9
hh24 hour of the day 21
hours clock (0-23)
mi minute of the hour 10
(0-59)
ss seconds of the minute 25
(0-59)
ddth suffix to a date 13th

date functions
*examples :
1. list the employees who have joined in year 1981.

2. list the employees and the length of their service as on

today.

3. list the employees who have joined company 25 years

back.

nvl function
*is used for handling null values
*nvl function helps in substituting a value in place of a null

*syntax : nvl (column, value)

*example :
1. list salary, commission, gross salary using nvl for all
employees.
2. list the commission received by all the employees.
decode function
*syntax:

decode(col, orig1, trans1, orig2, trans2, …., default)

- translates the original value in the specified column into

translated value or returns default value
- substitution is on value-by-value basis
- actually does if-then-else test
examples :
*list employee details as ename, job description using
following criteria
job description
clerk adminstaff
manager executive
analyst rndstaff
others same as job

summarising data: aggregate/group

functions
*queries can also produce summarising results
*aggregate/group functions operate upon group of
values/rows
*aggregate/group functions return one value/row per
group

aggregate/group functions
*count(col)
*count(*)
*sum(col)
*avg(col)
*min(col)
*max(col)
examples: group functions
1. list the number of employees working in the company.

2. list the total salary payable to employees.

3. list the maximum salary for employees working as a

‘salesman’.

grouping the results: group by clause

*the group by clause is used to combine a group of rows
based on column(s) and/or expression(s)

*syntax:
select <grouped_by_columns, group functions>
from <table_name>
group by <column|expression, ….>;

*group by returns a single row of summary information for

each group
*aggregate functions are applied to the individual groups
*the column or expression on which the group is to be
formed, should be selected
*conditional retrieval from a grouped result is possible using
having clause

examples: group by clause

1. list the department numbers and number of employees in
each department.

2. list the total salaries payable to each department.

3. list the number of employees in each job in the
descending order of number of jobs.

4. list the total salary and maximum job wise salary of

employees working in department 20 and list only those
jobs with total job wise salary greater than 5000.

more about group by clause

*group by returns a single row of summary information for
each group
*aggregate functions are applied to the individual groups
*the column or expression on which the group is to be
formed, should be selected
*any column or expression in the select list that is not an
aggregate function must be in the group by clause.
*you cannot use the where clause to restrict groups.
*you cannot use group functions in the where clause
*conditional retrieval from a grouped result is possible using
having clause
*you use the having clause to restrict the group.
examples: group by clause
*list the department numbers and number of employees in
each department.
*list the total salaries payable to each department.
*list the number of employees in each job in the descending
order of number of jobs.
*list the total salary and maximum job wise salary of
employees working in department 20 and list only those
jobs with total job wise salary greater than 5000.