Get assurance of datatype

[george55]

Hi all,

I got a little bit crazy with the datatypes in Qlik, loosing so much time for converting into the right format. The problem is not the syntax, rather then to be unsure what datatype I have in front of me. I give you an example after used all types of functions: text, floor, date, date# etc..

Got 2 different fields and have put it to a measure-item, so I can compare the output. When I change the number format to every available format Qlik Sense provides,it looks in everyone exactly the same, except of "Automatic"! Even when I use functions like "Num", "IsNum" it has exact the same number.

So what does means to me? Don't know the behaviour behind "Automatic". Would be very interesting to know the dataformat Qlik is using, otherwise loosing to much time playing and try with conversions "blind".

In Excel e.g. have formulas with boolean returns, so I am sure the format is a dataformat, a string, a number or what else. 

Thanks for any useful advice.

George

[Anil_Babu_Samineni]

1) What is the source?

2) Which format it is holding in the source?

3) Let us know few records, where the complex date format you didn't understand

[george55]

Because I'm facing this problem in many situations, with different sources etc. I would like to keep it generic. My aproach in my post is:

a) find a way to find out the datatype, like in a normal database

b) if Qlik has no such feature, to make a feature request

Before I post a feature request, would like to hear from you if there is a function or something I don't know to meet my demands.

Thanks for understanding.

[Anil_Babu_Samineni]

May be you've missed Alt Functions? This can bring all together from different pattern of date formats. 

There might be further API's to capture them, But not default data types based on data with in the box.