TO_CHAR (character)

TO_CHAR(character) converts a text expression to the database character set.

Return Value

VARCHAR2

Syntax

TO_CHAR(exp)

Arguments

char is a text expression. If it contains characters that are not represented in the database character set, then the conversion results in a loss of data.

Examples

TO_CHAR('¡Una qué sorpresa!') returns the value ?Una qu? sorpresa! Two letters are lost in the conversion (¡and é) because they are not in the database character set.

TO_CHAR('David Ortiz') returns the value David Ortiz in the database character set. No characters are lost in this conversion because all of them are in the database character set.