<twbanks@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1109020542.481788.195910@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm doing a select which includes the following:
>
> case
> when (rtrim(ltrim(T464.COMMENT_4)) = '' or T464.COMMENT_4 is null)
> then ''
> else
> convert(datetime,left(replace(replace(T464.COMMENT_4,' QTR: ',''),' -
> ',''),10))
> end as QuarterStartDate
>
> The COMMENT_4 field is a char(51), and contains values like: ' QTR:
> 03/01/2005 - 05/31/2005', '', a number of spaces, or NULL. If I remove
> the convert to datetime within the case, data returns as expected,
> retaining NULLs and blanks. If I leave the convert in, it converts
> every row to datetime and seems to disregard the case expression.
>
> I've attempted converting COMMENT_4 to a varchar first, and that didn't
> help either. Also this does not seem to be affected by removal of the
> LTRIM and RTRIM. Googling for this turns up no similar results. Have
> I simply nested too far within the case, or what?
>
> Any and all help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
>