Is it possible to a function with a varchar argument to accept a number argument without having to use DIGITS function ?

Eg.: col2 is integer type and the first argument is varchar type

db2 => select emdd.lpad( col2, 20, ' ') from emdd.tb1
SQL0440N No authorized routine named "LPAD" of type "FUNCTION" having compatible arguments was found. SQLSTATE=42884

It just works when I enter:
db2 => select emdd.lpad( digits(col2), 20, ' ') from emdd.tb1

No, you must do one of two things.

1) convert the argument to the correct type (as you did)
2) write another UDF that performs the same task with the same name that accepts the other argument.

DB2 does a "signature" search for executing functions. This means that the names AND the argument type must match for a function to work. This also allows for overloading a function (more than one function with the same name but different arguments). This is how option 2 works.

HTH

Andy

Thank you very much !!!!