How to get numbers arranged right to left in sql server SELECT statements - sql

Question

When performing SELECT statements including number columns (prices, for example), the result always is left to right ordered, which reduces the readability. Therefore I'm searching a method to format the output of number columns right to left.
I already tried to use something like
SELECT ... SPACE(15-LEN(A.Nummer))+A.Nummer ...
FROM Artikel AS A ...
which gives close results, but depending on font not really. An alternative would be to replace 'SPACE()' with 'REPLICATE('_',...)', but I don't really like the underscores in output.
Beside that this formula will crash on numbers with more digits than 15, therefore I searched for a way finding the maximum length of entries to make it more save like
SELECT ... SPACE(MAX(A.Nummer)-LEN(A.Nummer))+A.Nummer ...
FROM Artikel AS A ...
but this does not work due to the aggregate character of the MAX-function.
So, what's the best way to achieve the right-justified order for the number-columns?
Thanks,
Rainer

Answer 1

To get you problem with the list box solved have a look at this link: http://www.lebans.com/List_Combo.htm
I strongly believe that this type of adjustment should be made in the UI layer and not mixed in with data retrieval.
But to answer your original question i have created a SQL Fiddle:
MS SQL Server 2008 Schema Setup:
CREATE TABLE dbo.some_numbers(n INT);
Create some example data:
INSERT INTO dbo.some_numbers
SELECT CHECKSUM(NEWID())
FROM (VALUES (1),(1),(1),(1),(1),(1),(1),(1),(1),(1))X(x);
The following query is using the OVER() clause to specify that the MAX() is to be applied over all rows. The > and < that the result is wrapped in is just for illustration purposes and not required for the solution.
Query 1:
SELECT '>'+
SPACE(MAX(LEN(CAST(n AS VARCHAR(MAX))))OVER()-LEN(CAST(n AS VARCHAR(MAX))))+
CAST(n AS VARCHAR(MAX))+
'<'
FROM dbo.some_numbers SN;
Results:
| COLUMN_0 |
|---------------|
| >-1486993739< |
| > 1620287540< |
| >-1451542215< |
| >-1257364471< |
| > -819471559< |
| >-1364318127< |
| >-1190313739< |
| > 1682890896< |
| >-1050938840< |
| > 484064148< |
This query does a straight case to show the difference:
Query 2:
SELECT '>'+CAST(n AS VARCHAR(MAX))+'<'
FROM dbo.some_numbers SN;
Results:
| COLUMN_0 |
|---------------|
| >-1486993739< |
| >1620287540< |
| >-1451542215< |
| >-1257364471< |
| >-819471559< |
| >-1364318127< |
| >-1190313739< |
| >1682890896< |
| >-1050938840< |
| >484064148< |
With this query you still need to change the display font to a monospaced font like COURIER NEW. Otherwise, as you have noticed, the result is still misaligned.