EDUCBA

EDUCBA

MENUMENU
  • Free Tutorials
  • Free Courses
  • Certification Courses
  • 360+ Courses All in One Bundle
  • Login

PL/SQL nvl2

Home » Data Science » Data Science Tutorials » Database Management Tutorial » PL/SQL nvl2

PL_SQL nvl2

Introduction to PL/SQL nvl2

In PL/SQL, nvl2() function is used to substitute the provided value or expression on the basis of null and not null value. It is basically an extension of the nvl() function of PL/SQL which takes 2 arguments. Function nvl2() takes 3 arguments, i.e. the original string or expression, other two being the substituted value based on the original string being null or not. Oracle provides the flexibility that the original string or expression can be of any data type and the substituted strings, i.e. other 2 arguments can also be of any data type except ‘LONG’. Oracle also performs specific actions if the 2 arguments except the original string are of different data type.

Syntax:

Start Your Free Data Science Course

Hadoop, Data Science, Statistics & others

Below given is the basic syntax of using the nvl2 function in a PL/SQL block:

NVL2 (expr1, expr2, expr3)

Where,

  • expr1: It is the string or the expression which is to be tested in the function nvl2.
  • expr2: It is the value which is to be returned as a result of the function if the expr1 is not null.
  • expr3: It is the value which is to be returned as a result of the function if the expr1 is null.

Return Type:

  • Function NVL2 returns the substituted value based on the string or expression provided.

How does nvl2 Work in PL/SQL?

Important points related to the working of nvl2 function in PL/SQL are given below:

1. Function nvl2 in PL/SQL extends the functionality of nvl function provided by Oracle.

2. Function nvl2 basically decides the value to be returned from the query based on the null and not null value.

3. It takes 3 parameters, first being the original string or expression, second being the substituted string if the provided expression is not null and third being the substituted string if the expression is null.

Popular Course in this category
Sale
SQL Training Program (7 Courses, 8+ Projects)7 Online Courses | 8 Hands-on Projects | 73+ Hours | Verifiable Certificate of Completion | Lifetime Access
4.5 (8,906 ratings)
Course Price

View Course

Related Courses
PL SQL Training (4 Courses, 2+ Projects)Oracle Training (14 Courses, 8+ Projects)

4. Original string ‘expr1’ can be of any data type.

5. Parameters ‘expr2’ and ‘expr3’ also can be of any data type except long.

6. In case when the ‘expr2’ and ‘expr3’ are of different data types:

  • If ‘expr2’ is of numeric data type, Oracle implicitly checks which argument is of high precedence data type and then converts either expr2 or expr3 to high precedence data type and returns that data type.
  • If ‘expr2’ is a character data type, Oracle before comparing, converts the ‘expr3’ to a data type of ‘expr2’ and returns the VARCHAR2 in character set of ‘expr2’. Conversion of data type does not takes place if ‘expr3’ is a null constant.

Following versions of Oracle PL/SQL supports the nvl2() function:

  • Oracle 12c
  • Oracle 11g
  • Oracle 10a
  • Oracle 9i
  • Oracle 8i

Examples of PL/SQL nvl2

Given below are the examples mentioned:

Example #1

Code:

SELECT
NVL2(NULL, 10, 98) as New_value
FROM
dual;

Output:

PLSQL nvl2 1

Explanation:

  • In the above example, 3 arguments are provided in the nvl2() function. The first argument is ‘NULL’ which is a null value. So, according to the nvl2() function property, it will return expr3 if the provided expression is NULL.
  • So, in the above function ‘expr3’ is ‘98’. Hence ‘98’ is printed in the column ‘new_value’ on the console to the user.

Example #2

Code:

SELECT
NVL2('hello', 10, 98) as New_value
FROM
dual;

Output:

PLSQL nvl2 2

Explanation:

  • In the above example, 3 arguments are provided in the nvl2() function. The first argument is ‘hello’ which is a character data type and is not null. So, according to the nvl2() function property, it will return expr2 provided in the function which is ‘10’ in the above example.
  • Hence ‘10’ is printed in the column ‘new_value’ on the console to the user.

Example #3

Code:

SELECT
NVL2(100, 'hello', 'hi') as string_value
FROM
dual;

Output:

PLSQL nvl2 3

Explanation:

  • In the above example, 3 arguments are provided in the nvl2() function. The first argument is 100 which is a numeric data type and is not null. So, according to the nvl2() function property, it will return expr2 provided in the function which is ‘hello’ in the above example.
  • Hence ‘hello’ is printed in the column ‘string_value’ on the console to the user.

Example #4

Code:

SELECT
NVL2('', 'this is not null value', 'this is a null value') as string_value
FROM
dual;

Output:

blank brackets ‘ ‘

Explanation:

  • In the above example, 3 arguments are provided in the nvl2() function. The first argument is the null value which is represented as blank brackets ‘ ‘. So, according to the nvl2() function property, it will return expr3 provided in the function if the expression ot the original string is null. So expr3 is ‘this is a null value’ in the above example.
  • Hence ‘this is a null value’ is printed in the column ‘string_value’ on the console to the user.

Example#5

Code:

SELECT
NVL2('hello hello', 'this is for not null value', '34') as string_value
FROM
dual;

Output:

3 arguments are provided

Explanation:

  • In the above example, 3 arguments are provided in the nvl2() function. The first argument is the ‘hello hello’ which is not a null value. As we can see above, that both the expr2 and expr3 are of different data types, so the Oracle performs the implicit conversions and according to that appropriate action would be taken. So, according to the nvl2() function property, it will return expr2 provided in the function if the expression ot the original string is not null. So expr2 is ‘this is for not null value’ in the above example.
  • Hence ‘this is for not null value’ is printed in the column ‘string_value’ on the console to the user.

Conclusion

Above description clearly explains what the nvl2 function is and how it works in a PL/SQL block. For a programmer, working on real databases, it is important to understand the concept of null and not null values and how to deal with them according to the resulting data from the tables in various situations clearly. Data represented to the user is according to the requirements of the user and showing null values is not an appropriate choice in many cases. So this function helps to deal with such situations.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to PL/SQL nvl2. Here we discuss the introduction, how does nvl2 work in PL/SQL and examples for better understanding. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

  1. Triggers in PL/SQL
  2. PL/SQL Collections
  3. PL/SQL Data Types
  4. Loops in PL/SQL

All in One Data Science Bundle (360+ Courses, 50+ projects)

360+ Online Courses

50+ projects

1500+ Hours

Verifiable Certificates

Lifetime Access

Learn More

0 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Primary Sidebar
Database Management Tutorial
  • PL/SQL
    • What is PL/SQL?
    • Careers in PL/SQL
    • PLSQL procedure
    • PL/SQL Exception
    • PL/SQL LIKE
    • PL/SQL Raise Exception
    • PLSQL rowtype
    • PLSQL? bind variables
    • PL/SQL Record
    • PL/SQL WITH
    • PL/SQL bulk collect
    • PL/SQL Block Structure
    • PL/SQL else if
    • PL/SQL nvl2
    • PL/SQL Package
    • PL/SQL exists
    • PL/SQL instr
    • PL/SQL listagg
    • PL/ SQL Formatter
    • PLSQLlength
    • PL/SQL Commands
    • PL/SQL Data Types
    • CASE statement in PL/SQL
    • PL/SQL IF Statement
    • Loops in PL/SQL
    • PL/SQL Add Column
    • For Loop in PLSQL
    • PL/SQL Cursor Loop
    • PLSQL Array
    • Cursors in PL/SQL
    • PL/SQL FOR Loop Cursor
    • PL/SQL Queries
    • PL/SQL SELECT INTO
    • PL/SQL TO_CHAR
    • PL/SQL UNION
    • PL/SQL NOT EQUAL
    • PL/SQL varray
    • PL/SQL Concatenate
    • PL/SQL UPDATE
    • PL/SQL TRIM
    • PL/SQL GROUP BY
    • PL/SQL GOTO
    • PL/SQL Date Functions
    • PL/ SQL having
    • PL/SQL to_DATE
    • PL/SQL NVL
    • PLSQL format date
    • PLSQL mod
    • PLSQL round
    • PL/SQL Boolean
    • PL/SQL exit
    • PL/SQL DECODE
    • PL/SQL ROWNUM
    • PLSQL?pivot
    • PLSQL string functions
    • PL/SQL Block
    • PL/SQL Function
    • PL/SQL Unwrapper
    • PL/SQL Table
    • PL/SQL ALTER TABLE
    • PLSQL execute immediate
    • Triggers in PL/SQL
    • PL/SQL Collections
    • PL/SQL stored procedure
    • PL/SQL Anonymous Block
    • PLSQL Interview Questions
  • DataBase Management
    • Text Data Mining
    • Roles of Database Management System in Industry
    • SQL Server Database Management Tools
    • Database administrator skills
    • Database Management Systems Advantages
    • Database Testing Interview Questions
    • Data Administrator
    • Database Administrator
    • Database Management Software
    • DataStage
    • Types of Database Models
    • Types of Database
    • Hierarchical Database Model
    • Relational Database
    • Relational Database Advantages
    • Operational Database
    • What is RDBMS?
    • What is DB2?
    • Data Masking Tools
    • Database Security
    • Data Replication
    • Bitmap Indexing
    • Second Normal Form
    • Third Normal Form
    • Fourth Normal Form
    • Data Definition Language
    • Data Manipulation Language
    • Data Control Language
    • Transaction Control Language
    • Conceptual Data Model
    • Entity-Relationship Model
    • Relational Database Model
    • Sequential File Organization
    • Checkpoint in DBMS
    • Teradata Create Table
    • Centralized Database
    • Data Storage in Database
    • Thomas write Rule
    • DBA Interview Questions
    • What is JDBC?
    • jdbc hive
    • Apriori Algorithm
    • JDBC Architecture
    • JDBC Interview Questions
    • Wildcard Characters
    • Distributed Database System
    • Multidimensional Database
  • TSQL Basic
    • TSQL
    • What is T-SQL
    • T-SQL Commands
    • T-SQL String Functions
    • TSQL Interview Questions
  • MariaDB
    • MariaDB Versions
    • MariaDB?list users
    • MariaDB Commands
    • MariaDB odbc
    • MariaDB Workbench
    • MariaDB for windows
    • MariaDB Server
    • MariaDB? Data Types
    • MariaDB?boolean
    • MariaDB phpMyAdmin
    • MariaDB Mysqldump
    • MariaDB Java Connector
    • MariaDB insert
    • MariaDB UPDATE
    • MariaDB? rename column
    • MariaDB AUTO_INCREMENT
    • MariaDB Timezone
    • MariaDB GROUP_CONCAT
    • MariaDB wait_timeout
    • MariaDB MaxScale
    • MariaDB? with
    • MariaDB? create?table
    • MariaDB? SHOW TABLES
    • MariaDB alter table
    • MariaDB List Tables
    • MariaDB JSON Functions
    • MariaDB Foreign Key
    • MariaDB? trigger
    • MariaDB Grant All Privileges
    • MariaDB Select Database
    • MariaDB? create database
    • MariaDB Delete Database
    • MariaDB List Databases
    • MariaDB Functions
    • MariaDB? TIMESTAMP
    • MariaDB create user
    • MariaDB add user
    • MariaDB show users
    • MariaDB Delete User
    • MariaDB? change user password
    • MariaDB? change root password
    • MariaDB reset root password
    • MariaDB IF
    • MariaDB bind-address
    • MariaDB Transaction
    • MariaDB Cluster
    • MariaDB Logs
    • MariaDB Encryption
    • MariaDB? backup
    • MariaDB Replication
    • MariaDB max_allowed_packet
    • MariaDB? performance tuning
    • MariaDB export database
    • MariaDB? import SQL
  • SQLite
    • What is SQLite
    • SQLite Commands
    • SQLite Data Types
    • SQLite COUNT
    • SQLite Boolean
    • SQLite autoincrement
    • SQLite select
    • SQLite? Bulk Insert
    • SQLite? add column
    • SQLite? concat
    • SQLite BETWEEN
    • SQLite group by
    • SQLite CASE
    • SQLite group_concat
    • SQLite array
    • SQLite? enum
    • SQLite sum
    • SQLite create table
    • SQLite Alter Table
    • SQLite Create Database
    • SQLite Delete
    • SQLite connection string
    • SQLite Database
    • SQLite Describe Table
    • SQLite Show Tables
    • SQLite exit
    • SQLite create index
    • SQLite foreign key
    • SQLite Stored Procedures
    • SQLite Extension
  • DB2
    • DB2? current date
    • DB2 purescale
    • DB2 backup
    • DB2 restore
    • DB2 C Express
    • DB2 Version
    • DB2? Architecture
    • DB2? Data Types
    • DB2? load
    • DB2? order by
    • DB2 date
    • DB2 NVL
    • DB2? update
    • DB2 warehouse
    • DB2 grant
    • DB2 database
    • DB2 VARCHAR
    • DB2? INSERT
    • DB2 LISTAGG
    • DB2 LIKE
    • DB2 TRUNCATE TABLE
    • DB2 LIST TABLES
    • DB2 between
    • DB2? current timestamp
    • DB2? length
    • DB2? bind
    • DB2 limit rows
    • DB2? export
    • DB2 with
    • DB2 Create Table
    • DB2 case statement
    • DB2 CAST
    • DB2 Functions
    • DB2 Date Functions
    • DB2? row_number
    • DB2 trim
    • DB2? Translate
    • DB2 UNION
    • DB2 timestamp
    • DB2? TIMESTAMPDIFF
    • DB2? replace
    • DB2 merge
    • DB2 COALESCE
    • DB2 ISNULL
    • DB2? explain
    • DB2 Join
    • DB2 alter column
    • DB2 rename column
    • DB2? Describe Table
    • DB2? rename table
    • DB2 List Databases
    • DB2 LUW
    • DB2 Query
    • DB2 GROUP BY
    • DB2 TO_DATE
    • View Serializability in DBMS
    • MariaDB Join
    • MariaDB JSON
    • MariaDB? show databases
    • Dataset Normalization
    • MariaDB Max Connections
    • jdbc connection
    • MariaDB GUI
  • DBMS
    • Introduction To DBMS
    • DBMS ER Diagram
    • What is DBMS?
    • DBMS join
    • DBMS Functions
    • Data Administrator in DBMS
    • DBMS Canonical Cover
    • DBMS Log-Based Recovery
    • DBMS Multivalued Dependency
    • Netezza Database
    • DBMS Concepts
    • DBMS Constraints
    • DBMS_Scheduler
    • B+ Tree in DBMS
    • DBMS_LOB
    • dbms entity
    • DBMS Foreign Key
    • DBMS Users
    • DBMS_Metadata.get_ddl
    • Relational Algebra in DBMS
    • DBMS Components
    • DBMS Features
    • DBMS Models
    • DBMS Relational Model
    • Hashing in DBMS
    • DBMS network model
    • Relationship in DBMS
    • ER Model in DBMS
    • Data Models in DBMS
    • Static Hashing in DBMS
    • Advantages of DBMS
    • dbms_output.put_line
    • DBMS Data Dictionary
    • dbms_xplan.display_cursor
    • Normal Forms in DBMS
    • DBMS helps achieve
    • DBMS 3 tier Architecture
    • Relational Calculus in DBMS
    • Serializability in DBMS
    • File Organization in DBMS
    • DBMS Transaction Processing
    • States of Transaction in DBMS
    • Functional Dependency in DBMS
    • Generalization in DBMS
    • Data Independence in DBMS
    • Lock Based Protocols in DBMS
    • Deadlock in DBMS
    • Integrity Constraints in DBMS
    • Concurrency Control in DBMS
    • Validation Based Protocol in DBMS
    • DBMS Locks
    • Normalization in DBMS
    • Transaction Property in DBMS
    • Specialization in DBMS
    • Aggregation in DBMS
    • Types of DBMS

Related Courses

SQL Certification Course

PL/SQL Certification Course

Oracle Certification Course

Footer
About Us
  • Blog
  • Who is EDUCBA?
  • Sign Up
  • Live Classes
  • Corporate Training
  • Certificate from Top Institutions
  • Contact Us
  • Verifiable Certificate
  • Reviews
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  •  
Apps
  • iPhone & iPad
  • Android
Resources
  • Free Courses
  • Database Management
  • Machine Learning
  • All Tutorials
Certification Courses
  • All Courses
  • Data Science Course - All in One Bundle
  • Machine Learning Course
  • Hadoop Certification Training
  • Cloud Computing Training Course
  • R Programming Course
  • AWS Training Course
  • SAS Training Course

© 2022 - EDUCBA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE CERTIFICATION NAMES ARE THE TRADEMARKS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

EDUCBA
Free Data Science Course

Hadoop, Data Science, Statistics & others

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

EDUCBA
Free Data Science Course

Hadoop, Data Science, Statistics & others

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Let’s Get Started

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Loading . . .
Quiz
Question:

Answer:

Quiz Result
Total QuestionsCorrect AnswersWrong AnswersPercentage

Explore 1000+ varieties of Mock tests View more

EDUCBA Login

Forgot Password?

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. By closing this banner, scrolling this page, clicking a link or continuing to browse otherwise, you agree to our Privacy Policy

EDUCBA

*Please provide your correct email id. Login details for this Free course will be emailed to you

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Special Offer - SQL Certification Course Learn More