Convert CHAR to numeric ?

[StevePB]

Hi, can anyone tell me if it is possible to convert a character field to numeric when I don't know what the character part is going to look like ?

Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I'd like to convert the data in a column formatted as character, to numeric by simply dropping all the alpha characters.

E.g.1 - if the field contains: i-123456
Convert to numeric data type containing: 123456

E.g.2 - if the field contains: inv-789012
Convert to numeric data type containing: 789012

And so on...

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[jaaconsult]

The OCONV(DATA,"MCN") should strip off all non-numeric characters.