Sams Teach Yourself MySQL in 21 Days, Second Edition

IF(test_expression,expression_true,expression_false)

Description: Returns expression_true if test_expression is TRUE, or expression_false otherwise.

expression_test is interpreted as an integer. IF() returns a datatype according to the following:

• If expression_true or expression_false returns a string, the result will be a string.

• If expression_true or expression_false returns a floating-point number, the result will be a floating-point number.

• If expression_true or expression_false returns an integer, the result will be an integer.

Examples:

• IF(5>3,'more','not more'); returns more.

• IF(2>3,'more',0) returns 0 (as a string).

• IF(2>3,1,0) returns 0 (as a numeric).

Note that

• IF(0.2,'nonzero','zero') returns zero (because 0.2 is converted to an integer, ...