12.2. Scalar functions

LENGTH

To return or filter on the length of a collection, use the LENGTH() function.

Syntax: LENGTH( collection )

Arguments:

collection: An expression that returns a collection

Query.

MATCH p=(a)-->(b)-->(c)
WHERE a.name='Alice'
RETURN length(p)

The length of the path p is returned by the query.

Result

length(p)
3 rows
`2`
`2`
`2`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 match p=(a)-->(b)-->(c) where a.name='Alice' return length(p)

TYPE

Returns a string representation of the relationship type.

Syntax: TYPE( relationship )

Arguments:

relationship: A relationship.

Query.

MATCH (n)-[r]->()
WHERE n.name='Alice'
RETURN type(r)

The relationship type of r is returned by the query.

Result

type(r)
2 rows
`"KNOWS"`
`"KNOWS"`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 match (n)-[r]->() where n.name='Alice' return type(r)

ID

Returns the id of the relationship or node.

Syntax: ID( property-container )

Arguments:

property-container: A node or a relationship.

Query.

MATCH (a)
RETURN id(a)

This returns the node id for three nodes.

Result

id(a)
5 rows
`0`
`1`
`2`
`3`
`4`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 match (a) return id(a)

COALESCE

Returns the first non-NULL value in the list of expressions passed to it. In case all arguments are NULL, NULL will be returned.

Syntax: COALESCE( expression [, expression]* )

Arguments:

expression: The expression that might return NULL.

Query.

MATCH (a)
WHERE a.name='Alice'
RETURN coalesce(a.hairColor, a.eyes)

Result

coalesce(a.hairColor, a.eyes)
1 row
`"brown"`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 match (a) where a.name='Alice' return coalesce(a.hairColor, a.eyes)

HEAD

HEAD returns the first element in a collection.

Syntax: HEAD( expression )

Arguments:

expression: This expression should return a collection of some kind.

Query.

MATCH (a)
WHERE a.name='Eskil'
RETURN a.array, head(a.array)

The first node in the path is returned.

Result

a.array	head(a.array)
1 row
`["one","two","three"]`	`"one"`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 match (a) where a.name='Eskil' return a.array, head(a.array)

LAST

LAST returns the last element in a collection.

Syntax: LAST( expression )

Arguments:

expression: This expression should return a collection of some kind.

Query.

MATCH (a)
WHERE a.name='Eskil'
RETURN a.array, last(a.array)

The last node in the path is returned.

Result

a.array	last(a.array)
1 row
`["one","two","three"]`	`"three"`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 match (a) where a.name='Eskil' return a.array, last(a.array)

TIMESTAMP

TIMESTAMP returns the difference, measured in milliseconds, between the current time and midnight, January 1, 1970 UTC. It will return the same value during the whole one query, even if the query is a long running one.

Syntax: TIMESTAMP()

Arguments:

Query.

RETURN timestamp()

The time in milliseconds is returned.

Result

timestamp()
1 row
`1406204734736`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 return timestamp()

STARTNODE

STARTNODE returns the starting node of a relationship

Syntax: STARTNODE( relationship )

Arguments:

relationship: An expression that returns a relationship

Query.

MATCH (x:foo)-[r]-()
RETURN startNode(r)

Result

startNode(r)
2 rows
`Node[2]{name:"Alice",age:38,eyes:"brown"}`
`Node[2]{name:"Alice",age:38,eyes:"brown"}`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 MATCH (x:foo)-[r]-() return startNode(r)

ENDNODE

ENDNODE returns the end node of a relationship

Syntax: ENDNODE( relationship )

Arguments:

relationship: An expression that returns a relationship

Query.

MATCH (x:foo)-[r]-()
RETURN endNode(r)

Result

endNode(r)
2 rows
`Node[3]{name:"Bob",age:25,eyes:"blue"}`
`Node[4]{name:"Charlie",age:53,eyes:"green"}`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 MATCH (x:foo)-[r]-() return endNode(r)

TOINT

TOINT converts the argument to an integer. A string is parsed as if it was an integer number. If the parsing fails, NULL will be returned. A floating point number will be cast into an integer.

Syntax: TOINT( expression )

Arguments:

expression: An expression that returns anything

Query.

RETURN toInt("42"), toInt("not a number")

Result

toInt("42")	toInt("not a number")
1 row
`42`	`<null>`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 return toInt("42"), toInt("not a number")

TOFLOAT

TOFLOAT converts the argument to a float. A string is parsed as if it was an floating point number. If the parsing fails, NULL will be returned. An integer will be cast to a floating point number.

Syntax: TOFLOAT( expression )

Arguments:

expression: An expression that returns anything

Query.

RETURN toFloat("11.5"), toFloat("not a number")

Result

toFloat("11.5")	toFloat("not a number")
1 row
`11.5`	`<null>`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 return toFloat("11.5"), toFloat("not a number")

TOSTRING

TOSTRING converts the argument to a string. It converts integers and floating point numbers to strings, and if called with a string will leave it unchanged.

Syntax: TOSTRING( expression )

Arguments:

expression: An expression that returns anything

Query.

RETURN toString(11.5), toString("already a string")

Result

toString(11.5)	toString("already a string")
1 row
`"11.5"`	`"already a string"`

Try this query live. create (_0 {`age`:54, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Daniel"}) create (_1:`Spouse` {`age`:41, `array`:["one", "two", "three"], `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Eskil"}) create (_2:`foo`:`bar` {`age`:38, `eyes`:"brown", `name`:"Alice"}) create (_3 {`age`:25, `eyes`:"blue", `name`:"Bob"}) create (_4 {`age`:53, `eyes`:"green", `name`:"Charlie"}) create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_3 create _2-[:`KNOWS`]->_4 create _3-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 create _3-[:`MARRIED`]->_1 create _4-[:`KNOWS`]->_0 return toString(11.5), toString("already a string")

The Neo4j Manual v2.1.312.2. Scalar functions

LENGTH

TYPE

ID

COALESCE

HEAD

LAST

TIMESTAMP

STARTNODE

ENDNODE

TOINT

TOFLOAT

TOSTRING