Hi Martijn,

> Actually - WHO decides that this would be the right order:
>
> 1
> 11
> 20
> A
> AA
> BA
>
> ??
>
> What kind of order is this? This is a very custom order...

I think "the right order" is what the user/programmer needs at a
certain point in the application, so it varies from case to case.

Todd wants a numerical sorting in a char column that may also contain
non-numerical values. I'm sure he'll have his reasons, so that is
the right order for this query. Or maybe we should say: the ideal
ordering. Next question of course is: how to achieve it? But it seems
he's already done that too.

BTW: it was even a little more complicated. I thought he wanted an
ordering like you showed above. But there may also be values like
'23B' and he wants them aligned between the real numerals:

1
3
3B
10
12
12P9
20
A
AA

etc.


Greetings,
Paul Vinkenoog