Can we tell informx to ignore or cast field types in a join ??

Newsgroups: comp.database.informix Subject: Can we tell informix to ignore or cast field types in a join ? Summary: Followup-To: Distribution: world Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Keywords: Hi netters, I will use quick way of explanation. 'T' is created as 'select .... into temp T' and has an integer field (because the base table has integer field). I can join it with tables on int or char. fields (but their values are always in digits so informix can convert and compare). Now one table 'P' has values with alphabets in a char. field on which 'T' joins and informix gives 1213 error(char. to numeric conversion error). 1) Can we tell informix to compare but ignore if the values are incompatible .? OR 2) Before comparing T with P, tell informix to use(or cast) T's field as char string. and later recast back? Any pointers ?? Kindly reply directly if possible. I'll summarize. Thanks Atiq -- ---------------- Atiq Hashmi hashmi@netcom.com