Functions Database Functions Type functions

Type Functions

These functions can be used for generating and coercing data to specific data types. These functions are useful when accepting input values in client libraries, and ensuring that they are the desired type within SQL statements.

Function	Description
`type::array()`	Converts a value into an array
`type::bool()`	Converts a value into a boolean
`type::bytes()`	Converts a value into bytes
`type::datetime()`	Converts a value into a datetime
`type::decimal()`	Converts a value into a decimal
`type::duration()`	Converts a value into a duration
`type::field()`	Projects a single field within a SELECT statement
`type::fields()`	Projects a multiple fields within a SELECT statement
`type::float()`	Converts a value into a floating point number
`type::int()`	Converts a value into an integer
`type::number()`	Converts a value into a number
`type::point()`	Converts a value into a geometry point
`type::string()`	Converts a value into a string
`type::table()`	Converts a value into a table
`type::thing()`	Converts a value into a record pointer
`type::range()`	Converts a value into a range
`type::record()`	Converts a value into a record
`type::uuid()`	Converts a value into a UUID
`type::is::array()`	Checks if given value is of type array
`type::is::bool()`	Checks if given value is of type bool
`type::is::bytes()`	Checks if given value is of type bytes
`type::is::collection()`	Checks if given value is of type collection
`type::is::datetime()`	Checks if given value is of type datetime
`type::is::decimal()`	Checks if given value is of type decimal
`type::is::duration()`	Checks if given value is of type duration
`type::is::float()`	Checks if given value is of type float
`type::is::geometry()`	Checks if given value is of type geometry
`type::is::int()`	Checks if given value is of type int
`type::is::line()`	Checks if given value is of type line
`type::is::none()`	Checks if given value is of type none
`type::is::null()`	Checks if given value is of type null
`type::is::multiline()`	Checks if given value is of type multiline
`type::is::multipoint()`	Checks if given value is of type multipoint
`type::is::multipolygon()`	Checks if given value is of type multipolygon
`type::is::number()`	Checks if given value is of type number
`type::is::object()`	Checks if given value is of type object
`type::is::point()`	Checks if given value is of type point
`type::is::polygon()`	Checks if given value is of type polygon
`type::is::range()`	Checks if given value is of type range
`type::is::record()`	Checks if given value is of type record
`type::is::string()`	Checks if given value is of type string
`type::is::uuid()`	Checks if given value is of type uuid

`type::array`

The type::array function converts a value into an array.

API DEFINITION
type::array(array | range) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::array(1..=3);

[1, 2, 3]

This is the equivalent of using <array> to cast a value to an array.

`type::bool`

The type::bool function converts a value into a boolean.

API DEFINITION
type::bool(bool | string) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::bool("true");

true

This is the equivalent of using <bool> to cast a value to a boolean.

`type::bytes`

The type::bytes function converts a value into bytes.

API DEFINITION
type::bytes(bytes | string) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::bytes("A few bytes");

-- b"4120666577206279746573"

This is the equivalent of using <bytes> to cast a value to bytes.

`type::datetime`

The type::datetime function converts a value into a datetime.

API DEFINITION
type::datetime(datetime | string) -> datetime

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::datetime("2022-04-27T18:12:27+00:00");

d"2022-04-27T18:12:27Z"

This is the equivalent of using <datetime> to cast a value to a datetime.

`type::decimal`

The type::decimal function converts a value into a decimal.

API DEFINITION
type::decimal(decimal | float | int | number | string) -> decimal

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::decimal("12345");

12345.00

This is the equivalent of using <decimal> to cast a value to a decimal.

`type::duration`

The type::duration function converts a value into a duration.

API DEFINITION
type::duration(duration | string) -> duration

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::duration("4h");

4h

This is the equivalent of using <duration> to cast a value to a duration.

`type::field`

The type::field function projects a single field within a SELECT statement.

API DEFINITION
type::field($field)

The following example shows this function, and its output:

CREATE person:test SET title = 'Mr', name.first = 'Tobie', name.last = 'Morgan Hitchcock';

LET $param = 'name.first';

SELECT type::field($param), type::field('name.last') FROM person;

SELECT VALUE { 'firstname': type::field($param), lastname: type::field('name.last') } FROM person;

SELECT VALUE [type::field($param), type::field('name.last')] FROM person;


[
	{
		id: person:test,
		title: 'Mr',
		name: {
			first: 'Tobie',
			last: 'Morgan Hitchcock',
	    }
	}
]

`type::fields`

The type::fields function projects one or more fields within a SELECT statement.

API DEFINITION
type::fields($fields)

The following example shows this function, and its output:

CREATE person:test SET title = 'Mr', name.first = 'Tobie', name.last = 'Morgan Hitchcock';

LET $param = ['name.first', 'name.last'];

SELECT type::fields($param), type::fields(['title']) FROM person;

SELECT VALUE { 'names': type::fields($param) } FROM person;

SELECT VALUE type::fields($param) FROM person;


[
	{
		id: person:test,
		title: 'Mr',
		name: {
			first: 'Tobie',
			last: 'Morgan Hitchcock',
		}
	}
]

`type::file`

Available since: v3.0.0-alpha.1

The type::file function converts two strings representing a bucket name and a key into a file pointer.

API DEFINITION
type::file(bucket: string, key: string) -> file

An example of a file pointer created using this function:

type::file("my_bucket", "file_name")

Output
f"my_bucket:/file_name"

The following query shows the equivalent file pointer when created using the f prefix:

type::file("my_bucket", "file_name") == f"my_bucket:/file_name";

-- true

Once a bucket has been defined, operations using one of the file functions can be performed on the file pointer.

DEFINE BUCKET my_bucket BACKEND "memory";

type::file("my_bucket", "file_name").put("Some data inside");
type::file("my_bucket", "file_name").get();

Output
b"536F6D65206461746120696E73696465"

`type::float`

The type::float function converts a value into a float.

API DEFINITION
type::float(decimal | float | int | number | string) -> float

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::float("12345");

12345.0

This is the equivalent of using <float> to cast a value to a float.

`type::int`

The type::int function converts a value into an integer.

API DEFINITION
type::int(decimal | float | int | number | string) -> int

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::int("12345");

12345

This is the equivalent of using <int> to cast a value to a int.

`type::number`

The type::number function converts a value into a number.

API DEFINITION
type::number(decimal | float | int | number | string) -> number

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::number("12345");

12345

This is the equivalent of using <number> to cast a value to a number.

`type::point`

The type::point function converts a value into a geometry point.

API DEFINITION
type::point(array | point) -> point

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::point([ 51.509865, -0.118092 ]);

-- (51.509865, -0.118092)

`type::range`

Available since: v2.0.0

The type::range function converts a value into a range. It accepts a single argument, either a range or an array with two values. If the argument is an array, it will be converted into a range, similar to casting.

API DEFINITION
type::range(range | array) -> range<record>

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::range([1, 2]);

[1..2]

RETURN type::range(1..10)

[1..10]

RETURN type::range([1,9,4]);

['Expected a range but cannot convert [1, 9, 4] into a range']

`type::record`

Available since: v2.0.0

The type::record function converts a value into a record.

API DEFINITION
type::record(record | string, option<string>) -> record

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::record("cat:one");

cat:one

The optional second argument can be used to ensure that the output is of a certain record type.

LET $good_input = "person:one";
LET $bad_input = "purrson:one";

RETURN type::record($good_input, "person");
RETURN type::record($bad_input, "person");

Output
-------- Query 1 --------

person:one

-------- Query 2 --------

"Expected a record<person> but cannot convert 'purrson:one' into a record<person>"

`type::string`

The type::string function converts any value except NONE, NULL, and bytes into a string.

API DEFINITION
type::string(any) -> string

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::string(12345);

"12345"

This is the equivalent of using <string> to cast a value to a string.

`type::string_lossy`

Available since: v3.0.0-alpha.1

The type::string_lossy function converts any value except NONE, NULL, and bytes into a string. In the case of bytes, it will not return an error if the bytes are not valid UTF-8. Instead, invalid bytes will be replaced with the character � (U+FFFD REPLACEMENT CHARACTER, used in Unicode to represent a decoding error).

API DEFINITION
type::string(any) -> string

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

-- Contains some invalid bytes
type::string_lossy(<bytes>[83, 117, 114, 255, 114, 101, 97, 254, 108, 68, 66]);
-- valid bytes
type::string_lossy(<bytes>[ 83, 117, 114, 114, 101, 97, 108, 68, 66 ]);

Output
-------- Query --------

'Sur�rea�lDB'

-------- Query --------

'SurrealDB'

This is similar to using <string> to cast a value to a string, except that an input of bytes will not fail.

`type::table`

The type::table function converts a value into a table name.

API DEFINITION
type::table(record | string) -> string

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN [
  type::table("person"),
  type::table(cat:one)
];

[ person, cat ]

As of version 2.0, SurrealDB no longer eagerly parses strings into record IDs. As such, the output of the last item (“dog:two”) in the following example will differ. In version 1.x, it will be eagerly parsed into a record ID after which the dog table name will be returned, while in version 2.x it will be treated as a string and converted into the table name dog:two.

RETURN [
  type::table(55),
  type::table(cat:one),
  type::table("dog"),
  type::table("dog:two"),
];

V1.x
V2.x

Output (V1.x)
[
	`55`,
	cat,
	dog,
	dog
]

Output (V2.x)
[
	`55`,
	cat,
	dog,
	`dog:two`
]

`type::thing`

The type::thing function converts a value into a record pointer definition.

API DEFINITION
type::thing(any, any) -> record

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

LET $tb = "person";
LET $id = "tobie";
RETURN type::thing($tb, $id);

An example of this function being used to turn an array of objects into records to be created or upserted:

FOR $data IN [
	{
		id: 9,
		name: 'Billy'
	},
	{
		id: 10,
		name: 'Bobby'
	}
] {
	UPSERT type::thing('person', $data.id) CONTENT $data;
};

An example of the same except in which the num field is to be used as the record’s ID. In this case, it can be mapped with the array::map() function to rename num as id so that the following CONTENT clause does not create both a num and an id with the same value.

FOR $data IN [
	{
		name: 'Billy',
		num: 9
	},
    {
		name: 'Bobby',
		num: 10
	},
].map(|$o| {
    id: $o.num,
    name: $o.name
}) {
    UPSERT type::thing('person', $data.id) CONTENT $data;
};

If the second argument passed into type::thing is a record ID, the latter part of the ID (the record identifier) will be extracted and used.

type::thing("person", person:mat);

-- person:mat

The output of the above function call will thus be person:mat, not person:person:mat.

`type::uuid`

The type::uuid function converts a value into a UUID.

API DEFINITION
type::uuid(string | uuid) -> uuid

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::uuid("0191f946-936f-7223-bef5-aebbc527ad80");

u'0191f946-936f-7223-bef5-aebbc527ad80'

`type::is::array`

The type::is::array function checks if the passed value is of type array.

API DEFINITION
type::is::array(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::array([ 'a', 'b', 'c' ]);

true

`type::is::bool`

The type::is::bool function checks if the passed value is of type bool.

API DEFINITION
type::is::bool(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::bool(true);

true

`type::is::bytes`

The type::is::bytes function checks if the passed value is of type bytes.

API DEFINITION
type::is::bytes(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::bytes("I am not bytes");

false

`type::is::collection`

The type::is::collection function checks if the passed value is of type collection.

API DEFINITION
type::is::collection(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::collection("I am not a collection");

false

`type::is::datetime`

The type::is::datetime function checks if the passed value is of type datetime.

API DEFINITION
type::is::datetime(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::datetime(time::now());

true

`type::is::decimal`

The type::is::decimal function checks if the passed value is of type decimal.

API DEFINITION
type::is::decimal(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::decimal(<decimal> 13.5719384719384719385639856394139476937756394756);

true

`type::is::duration`

The type::is::duration function checks if the passed value is of type duration.

API DEFINITION
type::is::duration(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::duration('1970-01-01T00:00:00');

false

`type::is::float`

The type::is::float function checks if the passed value is of type float.

API DEFINITION
type::is::float(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::float(<float> 41.5);

true

`type::is::geometry`

The type::is::geometry function checks if the passed value is of type geometry.

API DEFINITION
type::is::geometry(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::geometry((-0.118092, 51.509865));

true

`type::is::int`

The type::is::int function checks if the passed value is of type int.

API DEFINITION
type::is::int(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::int(<int> 123);

true

`type::is::line`

The type::is::line function checks if the passed value is of type line.

API DEFINITION
type::is::line(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::line("I am not a line");

false

`type::is::none`

Available since: v1.1.0

The type::is::none function checks if the passed value is of type none.

API DEFINITION
type::is::none(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::none(NONE);

true

`type::is::null`

The type::is::null function checks if the passed value is of type null.

API DEFINITION
type::is::null(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::null(NULL);

true

`type::is::multiline`

The type::is::multiline function checks if the passed value is of type multiline.

API DEFINITION
type::is::multiline(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::multiline("I am not a multiline");

false

`type::is::multipoint`

The type::is::multipoint function checks if the passed value is of type multipoint.

API DEFINITION
type::is::multipoint(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::multipoint("I am not a multipoint");

false

`type::is::multipolygon`

The type::is::multipolygon function checks if the passed value is of type multipolygon.

API DEFINITION
type::is::multipolygon(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::multipolygon("I am not a multipolygon");

false

`type::is::number`

The type::is::number function checks if the passed value is of type number.

API DEFINITION
type::is::number(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::number(123);

true

`type::is::object`

The type::is::object function checks if the passed value is of type object.

API DEFINITION
type::is::object(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::object({ hello: 'world' });

true

`type::is::point`

The type::is::point function checks if the passed value is of type point.

API DEFINITION
type::is::point(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::point((-0.118092, 51.509865));

true

`type::is::polygon`

The type::is::polygon function checks if the passed value is of type polygon.

API DEFINITION
type::is::polygon(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::polygon("I am not a polygon");

false

`type::is::range`

The type::is::range function checks if the passed value is of type range.

API DEFINITION
type::is::range(any) -> bool

type::is::range(0..1);
true
// method syntax
(0..1).is_range();

true

`type::is::record`

The type::is::record function checks if the passed value is of type record.

API DEFINITION
type::is::record(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::record(user:tobie);

true

Validate a table

Available since: v1.1.0

Check if user:tobie is a record on the test table
RETURN type::is::record(user:tobie, 'test');

false

`type::is::string`

The type::is::string function checks if the passed value is of type string.

API DEFINITION
type::is::string(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::string("abc");

true

`type::is::uuid`

The type::is::uuid function checks if the passed value is of type uuid.

API DEFINITION
type::is::uuid(any) -> bool

The following example shows this function, and its output, when used in a RETURN statement:

RETURN type::is::uuid(u"018a6680-bef9-701b-9025-e1754f296a0f");

true

Method chaining

Available since: v2.0.0

Method chaining allows functions to be called using the . dot operator on a value of a certain type instead of the full path of the function followed by the value.

-- Traditional syntax
type::is::record(r"person:aeon", "cat")

-- Method chaining syntax
r"person:aeon".is_record("cat");

Response
false

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Time functions Value functions

Type Functions
type::array
type::bool
type::bytes
type::datetime
type::decimal
type::duration
type::field
type::fields
type::file
type::float
type::int
type::number
type::point
type::range
type::record
type::string
type::string_lossy
type::table
type::thing
type::uuid
type::is::array
type::is::bool
type::is::bytes
type::is::collection
type::is::datetime
type::is::decimal
type::is::duration
type::is::float
type::is::geometry
type::is::int
type::is::line
type::is::none
type::is::null
type::is::multiline
type::is::multipoint
type::is::multipolygon
type::is::number
type::is::object
type::is::point
type::is::polygon
type::is::range
type::is::record
Validate a table
type::is::string
type::is::uuid
Method chaining

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Type Functions

type::array

type::bool

type::bytes

type::datetime

type::decimal

type::duration

type::field

type::fields

type::file

type::float

type::int

type::number

type::point

type::range

type::record

type::string

type::string_lossy

type::table

type::thing

type::uuid

type::is::array

type::is::bool

type::is::bytes

type::is::collection

type::is::datetime

type::is::decimal

type::is::duration

type::is::float

type::is::geometry

type::is::int

type::is::line

type::is::none

type::is::null

type::is::multiline

type::is::multipoint

type::is::multipolygon

type::is::number

type::is::object

type::is::point

type::is::polygon

type::is::range

type::is::record

Validate a table

type::is::string

type::is::uuid

Method chaining

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`type::array`

`type::bool`

`type::bytes`

`type::datetime`

`type::decimal`

`type::duration`

`type::field`

`type::fields`

`type::file`

`type::float`

`type::int`

`type::number`

`type::point`

`type::range`

`type::record`

`type::string`

`type::string_lossy`

`type::table`

`type::thing`

`type::uuid`

`type::is::array`

`type::is::bool`

`type::is::bytes`

`type::is::collection`

`type::is::datetime`

`type::is::decimal`

`type::is::duration`

`type::is::float`

`type::is::geometry`

`type::is::int`

`type::is::line`

`type::is::none`

`type::is::null`

`type::is::multiline`

`type::is::multipoint`

`type::is::multipolygon`

`type::is::number`

`type::is::object`

`type::is::point`

`type::is::polygon`

`type::is::range`

`type::is::record`

`type::is::string`

`type::is::uuid`