to_float ↗

Use the to_float() function to convert a string value that represents a number or a numeric data type into a floating-point number.

Syntax

to_float (<string>)

Parameters

Name Type Required Description
string string Yes The string field or literal value that you wish to convert to a number.

Returns

The to_float() function returns a floating-point number.

Usage notes

  • The function is functionally identical to the to_number() function.
  • The function consistently returns a floating-point number. Even if the input string represents a whole integer (for example, "200"), the output will be a floating-point number (for example, 200.0).
  • If the input string does not represent a valid number (for example, contains letters or unparseable characters), or if the input itself is NULL, the function will return NULL.

Examples

Example 1: Converting a literal string (decimal representation) to float

Goal: Convert a string literal that represents a decimal number directly into a floating-point number.

XQL code:

config timeframe = 1d 
| dataset = sample_xql_raw 
| alter float_from_decimal_string = to_float("1.5") 
| fields event_id, float_from_decimal_string 
| limit 3

Explanation: The literal string "1.5" is converted to a float.

Output:

EVENT_ID FLOAT_FROM_DECIMAL_STRING
101 1.5
102 1.5
103 1.5

Example 2: Converting a literal string (integer representation) to float

Goal: Convert a string literal that represents a whole number into its floating-point equivalent.

XQL code:

config timeframe = 1d 
| dataset = sample_xql_raw 
| alter float_from_integer_string = to_float("100") 
| fields event_id, float_from_integer_string 
| limit 3

Explanation: The literal string "100" is converted to the floating-point number 100.0.

Output:

EVENT_ID FLOAT_FROM_INTEGER_STRING
101 100.0
102 100.0
103 100.0

Example 3: Converting a string extracted from JSON to float

Goal: Extract a numeric value (code) from a JSON string field (simple_json_data) and convert that extracted string to a float.

XQL code:

config timeframe = 1d 
| dataset = sample_xql_raw 
| alter json_code_string = simple_json_data -> code 
| alter converted_json_code = to_float(json_code_string) 
| fields event_id, simple_json_data, json_code_string, converted_json_code 
| limit 3

Explanation: For event_id 101, the "code" value "200" is extracted as a string and converted to the number 200.0. For events where the field is missing, it returns NULL.

Output:

EVENT_ID SIMPLE_JSON_DATA JSON_CODE_STRING CONVERTED_JSON_CODE
101 {"status": "ok", "code": 200} "200" 200.0
102 {"status": "fail", "error": "access_denied"} NULL NULL
103 {"connection_id": "CONN-001", "protocol": "TCP"} NULL NULL

Example 4: Converting an integer field (via to_string()) to float

Goal: Convert an existing integer field (event_id) to a string first using to_string(), and then convert that string representation into a float.

XQL code:

config timeframe = 1d 
| dataset = sample_xql_raw 
| alter event_id_as_string = to_string(event_id) 
| alter float_event_id = to_float(event_id_as_string) 
| fields event_id, event_id_as_string, float_event_id 
| limit 3

Explanation: The numeric event_id (for example, 101) is converted to a string "101", and then back to a float 101.0.

Output:

EVENT_ID EVENT_ID_AS_STRING FLOAT_EVENT_ID
101 "101" 101.0
102 "102" 102.0
103 "103" 103.0

Example 5: Handling non-numeric string input (returns NULL)

Goal: Demonstrate the function's behavior when provided with a string that cannot be interpreted as a number (for example, a purely textual field like event_description).

XQL code:

config timeframe = 1d 
| dataset = sample_xql_raw 
| alter non_numeric_string = event_description 
| alter float_conversion_result = to_float(non_numeric_string) 
| fields event_id, non_numeric_string, float_conversion_result 
| limit 3

Explanation: Since event_description contains text (for example, "User login successful"), to_float() returns NULL.

Output:

EVENT_ID NON_NUMERIC_STRING FLOAT_CONVERSION_RESULT
101 "User login successful" NULL
102 "File access attempt" NULL
103 "Network connection established" NULL