*nullif

Library: fbudf

Added in: 1.0 (Win), 1.5 (Linux)

Better alternative: Internal function NULLIF()

Description

The four *nullif functions – for integers, bigints, doubles and strings, respectively – each return the first argument if it is not equal to the second. If the arguments are equal, the functions return NULL.

Result type: Varies, see declarations.

Syntax

inullif   (int1, int2)
i64nullif (bigint1, bigint2)
dnullif   (double1, double2)
snullif   (string1, string2)

As from Firebird 1.5 use of the internal function NULLIF() is preferred.

Warnings:

• These functions return NULL when the second argument is NULL, even if the first argument is a proper value. This is a wrong result. The NULLIF internal function doesn't have this bug.
• i64nullif and dnullif will return wrong and/or bizarre results if it is not 100% clear to the engine that each argument is of the intended type (NUMERIC(18,0) or DOUBLE PRECISION). If in doubt, cast them both explicitly to the declared type (see declarations below).

Declarations

DECLARE EXTERNAL FUNCTION inullif
  INT BY DESCRIPTOR, INT BY DESCRIPTOR
  RETURNS INT BY DESCRIPTOR
  ENTRY_POINT 'iNullIf' MODULE_NAME 'fbudf'

DECLARE EXTERNAL FUNCTION i64nullif
  NUMERIC(18,4) BY DESCRIPTOR, NUMERIC(18,4) BY DESCRIPTOR
  RETURNS NUMERIC(18,4) BY DESCRIPTOR
  ENTRY_POINT 'iNullIf' MODULE_NAME 'fbudf'

DECLARE EXTERNAL FUNCTION dnullif
  DOUBLE PRECISION BY DESCRIPTOR, DOUBLE PRECISION BY DESCRIPTOR
  RETURNS DOUBLE PRECISION BY DESCRIPTOR
  ENTRY_POINT 'dNullIf' MODULE_NAME 'fbudf'

DECLARE EXTERNAL FUNCTION snullif
  VARCHAR(100) BY DESCRIPTOR, VARCHAR(100) BY DESCRIPTOR,
  VARCHAR(100) BY DESCRIPTOR RETURNS PARAMETER 3
  ENTRY_POINT 'sNullIf' MODULE_NAME 'fbudf'