How to convert a database string to a integer in PHP?

[Arc]

I am pulling data from a database that is stored as a VarChar string.

I am having trouble with this because I am using this data as a varaible that is expecting an integer and it is not working correctly, so the only thing I can thing of is that the string from the database is not being converted into an integer.

Is this even possible with PHP. I know it supposedly coverts things on the fly, but I am not sure how it deals with database strings.

[cjhowe]

I'm taking a stab in the dark but you might try changing your query statement to end with

VALUES ( %s, %s,......%s)(VarCharField, int),(NextField, text)

int and text might need to be in quotes...i forget the sytax of the top of my head. Then again, this may be wrong alltogether. Newbie here.

[LordShryku]

You can cast with php.

$num = (int)$var;

You can also cast in the sql...
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/Cast_Functions.html