Hi, I don't quite know what you mean by a "bit string field" but for any numeric, better integer row can use the following construct: Say the bits you where testing where bit 3 ('00000100' bit), and bit 6 ('00100000' bit) of say some_integer row.... then this would do it: select sum(case when (some_int & x'0004'::int)=0 then 0 else 1 end) as count_of3thbit, sum(case when (some_int & x'0020'::int)=0 then 0 else 1 end) as count_of6thbit from mytable ; constant x'0004'::int = 4 constant x'0020'::int = 32 by best regards, Stefan Am Sonntag, 15. Juli 2007 21:35 schrieb Rajarshi Guha: > Hi, is there a built in function that will give me the number of bits > that are set to 1 in a bit string field? > > Thanks, > > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > Rajarshi Guha <rguha@xxxxxxxxxxx> > GPG Fingerprint: 0CCA 8EE2 2EEB 25E2 AB04 06F7 1BB9 E634 9B87 56EE > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > Without love intelligence is dangerous; > without intelligence love is not enough. > -- Ashley Montagu -- email: stefan@xxxxxxxxxx tel : +49 (0)6232-497631 http://www.yukonho.de