| Oracle® Database SQL Language Quick Reference 11g Release 2 (11.2) Part Number E10593-04 | 
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A function is a command that manipulates data items and returns a single value.
The sections that follow show each SQL function and its related syntax. Refer to Chapter 5, "Subclauses" for the syntax of the subclauses.
See Also:
Functions in Oracle Database SQL Language Reference for detailed information about SQL functionsABS(n)
ACOS(n)
ADD_MONTHS(date, integer)
Aggregate functions return a single result row based on groups of rows, rather than on single rows.
analytic_function([ arguments ]) OVER (analytic_clause)
APPENDCHILDXML ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string, value_expr [, namespace_string ] )
ASCII(char)
ASCIISTR(char)
ASIN(n)
ATAN(n)
ATAN2(n1 , n2)
AVG([ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr) [ OVER(analytic_clause) ]
BFILENAME('directory', 'filename')
BIN_TO_NUM(expr [, expr ]... )
BITAND(expr1, expr2)
CARDINALITY(nested_table)
CAST({ expr | MULTISET (subquery) } AS type_name)
CEIL(n)
CHARTOROWID(char)
CHR(n [ USING NCHAR_CS ])
CLUSTER_ID ( [ schema . ] model mining_attribute_clause )
CLUSTER_PROBABILITY ( [ schema . ] model [ , cluster_id ] mining_attribute_clause )
CLUSTER_SET ( [ schema . ] model [ , topN [ , cutoff ] ] mining_attribute_clause )
COALESCE(expr [, expr ]...)
COLLECT ( [DISTINCT | UNIQUE] column ORDER BY expr )
COMPOSE(char)
CONCAT(char1, char2)
CONVERT(char, dest_char_set[, source_char_set ])
CORR(expr1, expr2) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
{ CORR_K | CORR_S }
   (expr1, expr2
    [, { COEFFICIENT
       | ONE_SIDED_SIG
       | ONE_SIDED_SIG_POS
       | ONE_SIDED_SIG_NEG
       | TWO_SIDED_SIG
       }
    ]
   )
COS(n)
COSH(n)
COUNT({ * | [ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr })
   [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
COVAR_POP(expr1, expr2) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
COVAR_SAMP(expr1, expr2) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
CUBE_TABLE
( ' { schema.cube [ {HIERARCHY | HRR} dimension hierarchy ]...
    | schema.dimension [ {HIERARCHY | HRR} [dimension] hierarchy ]
    }
  '
)
CUME_DIST(expr[,expr ]...)
   WITHIN GROUP
   (ORDER BY expr [ DESC | ASC ]
                  [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ] 
             [, expr [ DESC | ASC ]
                     [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
             ]...
   )
CUME_DIST( ) OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
CURRENT_DATE
CURRENT_TIMESTAMP [ (precision) ]
CV([ dimension_column ])
DATAOBJ_TO_PARTITION ( table, partition_id )
DBTIMEZONE
DECODE(expr, search, result
             [, search, result ]...
       [, default ]
      )
DECOMPOSE( string [ CANONICAL | COMPATIBILITY ] )
DELETEXML
  ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string
    [, namespace_string ]
  )
DENSE_RANK(expr [, expr ]...) WITHIN GROUP
  (ORDER BY expr [ DESC | ASC ]
                 [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
            [,expr [ DESC | ASC ]
                   [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
            ]...
  )
DENSE_RANK( ) OVER([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
DEPTH(correlation_integer)
DEREF(expr)
DUMP(expr[, return_fmt
            [, start_position [, length ] ]
         ]
    )
{ EMPTY_BLOB | EMPTY_CLOB }( )
EXISTSNODE
   (XMLType_instance, XPath_string
      [, namespace_string ]
   )
EXP(n)
EXTRACT( { { YEAR
           | MONTH
           | DAY
           | HOUR
           | MINUTE
           | SECOND
           }
         | { TIMEZONE_HOUR
           | TIMEZONE_MINUTE
           }
         | { TIMEZONE_REGION
           | TIMEZONE_ABBR
           }
         }
         FROM { expr }
       )
EXTRACT(XMLType_instance, XPath_string
        [, namespace_string ]
       )
EXTRACTVALUE
   (XMLType_instance, XPath_string
     [, namespace_string ]
   )
FEATURE_ID ( [ schema . ] model mining_attribute_clause )
FEATURE_SET ( [ schema . ] model [ , topN [ , cutoff ] ] mining_attribute_clause )
FEATURE_VALUE ( [ schema . ] model [ , feature_id ] mining_attribute_clause )
aggregate_function
   KEEP
   (DENSE_RANK FIRST ORDER BY
    expr [ DESC | ASC ]
         [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    [, expr [ DESC | ASC ]
            [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    ]...
   )
   [ OVER ( [query_partition_clause] ) ]
FIRST_VALUE 
  { (expr) [ {RESPECT | IGNORE} NULLS ]
  | (expr [ {RESPECT | IGNORE} NULLS ])
  }
   OVER (analytic_clause)
FLOOR(n)
FROM_TZ (timestamp_value, time_zone_value)
GREATEST(expr [, expr ]...)
GROUP_ID( )
GROUPING(expr)
GROUPING_ID(expr [, expr ]...)
HEXTORAW(char)
INITCAP(char)
INSERTCHILDXML
  ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string, child_expr,
      value_expr [, namespace_string ] 
  )
INSERTCHILDXMLAFTER
  ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string, child_expr,
      value_expr [, namespace_string ] 
  )
INSERTCHILDXMLBEFORE
  ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string, child_expr,
      value_expr [, namespace_string ] 
  )
INSERTXMLAFTER
   ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string,
      value_expr [, namespace_string ] 
   )
INSERTXMLBEFORE
   ( XMLType_instance, XPath_string,
      value_expr [, namespace_string ] 
   )
{ INSTR
| INSTRB
| INSTRC
| INSTR2
| INSTR4
}
(string , substring [, position [, occurrence ] ])
ITERATION_NUMBER
LAG
  { ( value_expr [, offset [, default]]) [ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ] 
  | ( value_expr [ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ] [, offset [, default]] )
  }
  OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
aggregate_function KEEP
   (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER BY
    expr [ DESC | ASC ]
         [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    [, expr [ DESC | ASC ]
            [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    ]...
   )
   [ OVER ( [query_partition_clause] ) ]
LAST_DAY(date)
LAST_VALUE
  { (expr) [ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ]
  | (expr [ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ])
  OVER (analytic_clause)
LEAD
  { ( value_expr [, offset [, default]] ) [ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ] 
  | ( value_expr [ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ] [, offset [, default]] )
  }
  OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
LEAST(expr [, expr ]...)
{ LENGTH
| LENGTHB
| LENGTHC
| LENGTH2
| LENGTH4
}
(char)
LISTAGG (measure_expr [, 'delimiter_expr']) WITHIN GROUP (order_by_clause) [OVER query_partition_clause]
LN(n)
LNNVL(condition)
LOCALTIMESTAMP [ (timestamp_precision) ]
LOG(n2, n1)
LOWER(char)
LPAD(expr1, n [, expr2 ])
LTRIM(char [, set ])
MAKE_REF({ table | view } , key [, key ]...)
MAX([ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
MEDIAN(expr) [ OVER (query_partition_clause) ]
MIN([ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
MOD(n2, n1)
MONTHS_BETWEEN(date1, date2)
NANVL(n2, n1)
NCHR(number)
NEW_TIME(date, timezone1, timezone2)
NEXT_DAY(date, char)
NLS_CHARSET_DECL_LEN(byte_count, 'char_set_id')
NLS_CHARSET_ID ( string )
NLS_CHARSET_NAME(number)
NLS_INITCAP(char [, 'nlsparam' ])
NLS_LOWER(char [, 'nlsparam' ])
NLS_UPPER(char [, 'nlsparam' ])
NLSSORT(char [, 'nlsparam' ])
NTH_VALUE 
  ( measure_expr, n ) [ FROM { FIRST | LAST } ][ { RESPECT | IGNORE } NULLS ] 
  OVER (analytic_clause)
NTILE(expr) OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
NULLIF(expr1, expr2)
NUMTODSINTERVAL(n, 'interval_unit')
NUMTOYMINTERVAL(n, 'interval_unit')
NVL(expr1, expr2)
NVL2(expr1, expr2, expr3)
ORA_DST_AFFECTED (datetime_expr)
ORA_DST_CONVERT (datetime_expr [, integer [, integer ]])
ORA_DST_ERROR (datetime_expr)
ORA_HASH (expr [, max_bucket [, seed_value ] ])
PATH (correlation_integer)
PERCENT_RANK(expr [, expr ]...) WITHIN GROUP
   (ORDER BY
    expr [ DESC | ASC ]
         [NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    [, expr [ DESC | ASC ]
            [NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    ]...
   )
PERCENT_RANK( ) OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
PERCENTILE_CONT(expr) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY expr [ DESC | ASC ]) [ OVER (query_partition_clause) ]
PERCENTILE_DISC(expr) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY expr [ DESC | ASC ]) [ OVER (query_partition_clause) ]
POWER(n2, n1)
POWERMULTISET(expr)
POWERMULTISET_BY_CARDINALITY(expr, cardinality)
PREDICTION ( [ schema . ] model [ cost_matrix_clause ] mining_attribute_clause )
PREDICTION_BOUNDS ( [schema.] model [, confidence_level [, class_value]] mining_attribute_clause )
PREDICTION_COST ( [ schema . ] model [ , class ] cost_matrix_clause mining_attribute_clause )
PREDICTION_DETAILS ( [ schema . ] model mining_attribute_clause )
PREDICTION_PROBABILITY ( [ schema . ] model [ , class ] mining_attribute_clause )
PREDICTION_SET ( [ schema . ] model [ , bestN [ , cutoff ] ] [ cost_matrix_clause ] mining_attribute_clause )
PRESENTNNV(cell_reference, expr1, expr2)
PRESENTV(cell_reference, expr1, expr2)
PREVIOUS(cell_reference)
RANK(expr [, expr ]...) WITHIN GROUP
   (ORDER BY
    expr [ DESC | ASC ]
         [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    [, expr [ DESC | ASC ]
            [ NULLS { FIRST | LAST } ]
    ]...
   )
RANK( ) OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
RATIO_TO_REPORT(expr) OVER ([ query_partition_clause ])
RAWTOHEX(raw)
RAWTONHEX(raw)
REF (correlation_variable)
REFTOHEX (expr)
REGEXP_COUNT (source_char, pattern [, position [, match_param]])
REGEXP_INSTR (source_char, pattern
              [, position
                 [, occurrence
                    [, return_opt
                       [, match_param
                          [, subexpr]
                       ]
                    ]
                 ]
              ]
REGEXP_REPLACE(source_char, pattern
               [, replace_string
                  [, position
                     [, occurrence
                        [, match_param ]
                     ]
                  ]
               ]
              )
REGEXP_SUBSTR(source_char, pattern
              [, position
                 [, occurrence
                    [, match_param
                       [, subexpr
                       ]
                    ]
                 ]
              ]
             )
REGR_AVGX, REGR_AVGY, REGR_COUNT, REGR_INTERCEPT, REGR_R2, REGR_SLOPE, REGR_SXX, REGR_SXY, REGR_SYY
{ REGR_SLOPE 
| REGR_INTERCEPT 
| REGR_COUNT 
| REGR_R2 
| REGR_AVGX
| REGR_AVGY 
| REGR_SXX 
| REGR_SYY 
| REGR_SXY
}
(expr1 , expr2)
[ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
REMAINDER(n2, n1)
REPLACE(char, search_string
        [, replacement_string ]
       )
ROUND(date [, fmt ])
ROUND(n [, integer ])
ROW_NUMBER( ) OVER ([ query_partition_clause ] order_by_clause)
ROWIDTOCHAR(rowid)
ROWIDTONCHAR(rowid)
RPAD(expr1 , n [, expr2 ])
RTRIM(char [, set ])
SCN_TO_TIMESTAMP(number)
SESSIONTIMEZONE
SET (nested_table)
SIGN(n)
SIN(n)
SINH(n)
SOUNDEX(char)
SQRT(n)
STATS_BINOMIAL_TEST(expr1, expr2, p
                    [, { TWO_SIDED_PROB
                       | EXACT_PROB
                       | ONE_SIDED_PROB_OR_MORE
                       | ONE_SIDED_PROB_OR_LESS
                       }
                    ]
                   )
STATS_CROSSTAB(expr1, expr2
               [, { CHISQ_OBS
                  | CHISQ_SIG
                  | CHISQ_DF
                  | PHI_COEFFICIENT
                  | CRAMERS_V
                  | CONT_COEFFICIENT
                  | COHENS_K
                  }
               ]
              )
STATS_F_TEST(expr1, expr2
             [, { { STATISTIC
                  | DF_NUM
                  | DF_DEN
                  | ONE_SIDED_SIG
    } , expr3
                | TWO_SIDED_SIG
                }
             ]
            )
STATS_KS_TEST(expr1, expr2
              [, { STATISTIC | SIG } ]
             )
STATS_MODE(expr)
STATS_MW_TEST(expr1, expr2
              [, { STATISTIC
                 | U_STATISTIC
                 | ONE_SIDED_SIG , expr3
                 | TWO_SIDED_SIG
                 }
              ]
             )
STATS_ONE_WAY_ANOVA(expr1, expr2
                    [, { SUM_SQUARES_BETWEEN
                       | SUM_SQUARES_WITHIN
                       | DF_BETWEEN
                       | DF_WITHIN
                       | MEAN_SQUARES_BETWEEN
                       | MEAN_SQUARES_WITHIN
                       | F_RATIO
                       | SIG
                       }
                    ]
                   )
STATS_T_TEST_INDEP, STATS_T_TEST_INDEPU, STATS_T_TEST_ONE, STATS_T_TEST_PAIRED
{ STATS_T_TEST_INDEP
| STATS_T_TEST_INDEPU
| STATS_T_TEST_ONE
| STATS_T_TEST_PAIRED
}
(expr1, expr2
  [, { { STATISTIC
       | ONE_SIDED_SIG
       } , expr3
     | TWO_SIDED_SIG
     | DF
     }
  ]
)
STATS_WSR_TEST(expr1, expr2
               [, { STATISTIC
                  | ONE_SIDED_SIG
                  | TWO_SIDED_SIG
                  }
               ]
              )
STDDEV([ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
STDDEV_POP(expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
STDDEV_SAMP(expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
{ SUBSTR
| SUBSTRB
| SUBSTRC
| SUBSTR2
| SUBSTR4
}
(char, position [, substring_length ])
SUM([ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
SYS_CONNECT_BY_PATH(column, char)
SYS_CONTEXT('namespace', 'parameter' [, length ])
SYS_DBURIGEN({ column | attribute }
             [ rowid ]
               [, { column | attribute }
                  [ rowid ]
               ]...
             [, 'text ( )' ]
            )
SYS_EXTRACT_UTC(datetime_with_timezone)
SYS_GUID( )
SYS_TYPEID(object_type_value)
SYS_XMLAGG(expr [, fmt ])
SYS_XMLGEN(expr [, fmt ])
SYSDATE
SYSTIMESTAMP
TAN(n)
TANH(n)
TIMESTAMP_TO_SCN(timestamp)
TO_BINARY_DOUBLE(expr [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_BINARY_FLOAT(expr [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_BLOB ( raw_value )
TO_CHAR(nchar | clob | nclob)
TO_CHAR({ datetime | interval } [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_CHAR(n [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_CLOB(lob_column | char)
TO_DATE(char [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_DSINTERVAL ( ' { sql_format | ds_iso_format } ' )
TO_LOB(long_column)
TO_MULTI_BYTE(char)
TO_NCHAR({char | clob | nclob})
TO_NCHAR({ datetime | interval }
         [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ]
        )
TO_NCHAR(n [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_NCLOB(lob_column | char)
TO_NUMBER(expr [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_SINGLE_BYTE(char)
TO_TIMESTAMP(char [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_TIMESTAMP_TZ(char [, fmt [, 'nlsparam' ] ])
TO_YMINTERVAL
  ( '  { [+|-] years - months 
       | ym_iso_format 
       } ' )
TRANSLATE(expr, from_string, to_string)
TRANSLATE ( char USING
          { CHAR_CS | NCHAR_CS }
          )
TREAT(expr AS [ REF ] [ schema. ]type)
TRIM([ { { LEADING | TRAILING | BOTH }
         [ trim_character ]
       | trim_character
       }
       FROM 
     ]
     trim_source
    )
TRUNC(date [, fmt ])
TRUNC(n1 [, n2 ])
TZ_OFFSET({ 'time_zone_name'
          | '{ + | - } hh : mi'
          | SESSIONTIMEZONE
          | DBTMEZONE
          }
         )
UID
UNISTR( string )
UPDATEXML
      (XMLType_instance,
        XPath_string, value_expr
          [, XPath_string, value_expr ]...
        [, namespace_string ]
      )
UPPER(char)
USER
[ schema. ]
{ [ package. ]function | user_defined_operator }
[ @ dblink. ]
[ ( [ [ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr [, expr ]... ] ) ]
USERENV('parameter')
VALUE(correlation_variable)
VAR_POP(expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
VAR_SAMP(expr) [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
VARIANCE([ DISTINCT | ALL ] expr)
        [ OVER (analytic_clause) ]
VSIZE(expr)
WIDTH_BUCKET (expr, min_value, max_value, num_buckets)
XMLAGG(XMLType_instance [ order_by_clause ])
XMLCAST ( value_expression AS datatype )
XMLCDATA ( value_expr )
XMLCOLATTVAL
  (value_expr [ AS { c_alias  | EVALNAME value_expr } ]
    [, value_expr [ AS { c_alias  | EVALNAME value_expr } ]
      ]...
  )
XMLCOMMENT ( value_expr )
XMLCONCAT(XMLType_instance [, XMLType_instance ]...)
XMLDIFF ( XMLType_document, XMLType_document [ , integer, string ] )
XMLELEMENT
 ( [ENTITYESCAPING | NOENTITYESCAPING]
   [ NAME ]
     { identifier
     | EVALNAME value_expr
     }
   [, XML_attributes_clause ]
   [, value_expr [ AS c_alias ]]...
 )
XMLEXISTS ( XQuery_string [ XML_passing_clause ] )
XMLFOREST
  ( value_expr [ AS { c_alias | EVALNAME value_expr } ]
    [, value_expr [ AS { c_alias | EVALNAME value_expr } ]
      ]...
  )
XMLISVALID ( XMLType_instance [, XMLSchema_URL [, element ]] )
XMLPARSE
  ({ DOCUMENT | CONTENT } value_expr [ WELLFORMED ]
  )
XMLPATCH ( XMLType_document, XMLType_document )
XMLPI
 ( { [ NAME ] identifier
   | EVALNAME value_expr
   } [, value_expr ]
 )
XMLQUERY ( XQuery_string [ XML_passing_clause ] RETURNING CONTENT [NULL ON EMPTY] )
XMLROOT
  ( value_expr, VERSION 
  { value_expr | NO VALUE }
  [, STANDALONE { YES | NO | NO VALUE } ]
  )
XMLSEQUENCE( XMLType_instance
           | sys_refcursor_instance [, fmt ]
           )
XMLSERIALIZE
  ( { DOCUMENT | CONTENT } value_expr [ AS datatype ]
    [ ENCODING xml_encoding_spec ]
    [ VERSION string_literal ]
    [ NO INDENT | { INDENT [SIZE = number] } ]
    [ { HIDE | SHOW } DEFAULTS ]
  )
XMLTABLE ( [ XMLnamespaces_clause , ] XQuery_string XMLTABLE_options )
XMLTRANSFORM(XMLType_instance, { XMLType_instance
                               | string
                               }
                   )