sql how to cast a select query

Question

Is it possible to apply the cast function to a select statement? If yes, how? I have a query that returns a number which I have to use a string to get other info's from another table.

Answer 1

You just CAST() this way

SELECT cast(yourNumber as varchar(10))
FROM yourTable

Then if you want to JOIN based on it, you can use:

SELECT *
FROM yourTable t1
INNER JOIN yourOtherTable t2
    on cast(t1.yourNumber as varchar(10)) = t2.yourString

Answer 2

Yes you can do.

Syntax for CAST:

CAST ( expression AS data_type [ ( length ) ] )

For example:

CAST(MyColumn AS Varchar(10))

CAST in SELECT Statement:

Select CAST(MyColumn AS Varchar(10)) AS MyColumn
FROM MyTable

See for more information CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)

Answer 3

I interpreted the question as using cast on a subquery. Yes, you can do that:

select cast((<subquery>) as <newtype>)

If you do so, then you need to be sure that the returns one row and one value. And, since it returns one value, you could put the cast in the subquery instead:

select (select cast(<val> as <newtype>) . . .)