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RIGHT_SHIFT (Transact SQL)

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Applies to: SQL Server 2022 (16.x) Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance SQL analytics endpoint in Microsoft Fabric Warehouse in Microsoft Fabric

RIGHT_SHIFT takes two parameters, and returns the first parameter bit-shifted right by the number of bits specified in the second parameter.

The RIGHT_SHIFT function is also accessible through the >> operator.

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

RIGHT_SHIFT ( expression_value, shift_amount )
expression_value >> shift_amount

Arguments

expression_value

Any integer or binary expression that isn't a large object (LOB).

shift_amount

The number of bits by which expression_value should be shifted. shift_amount must be an integer type.

Return types

Returns the same type as expression_value.

The shift_amount parameter is cast to a bigint. The parameter can be positive or negative, and can also be greater than the number of bits in the datatype of expression_value. When shift_amount is negative, the shift operates in the opposite direction. For example, LEFT_SHIFT (expr, -1) is the same as RIGHT_SHIFT (expr, 1). When shift_amount is greater than the number of bits in expression_value, the result returned will be 0.

RIGHT_SHIFT performs a logical shift. After bits are shifted, any vacant positions will be filled by 0, regardless of whether the original value was positive or negative.

Remarks

In the initial implementation, Distributed Query functionality for the bit manipulation functions within linked server or ad hoc queries (OPENQUERY) won't be supported.

The >> method for the RIGHT_SHIFT function is not currently supported in Microsoft Fabric.

Examples

In the following example, the integer value 12345 is right-shifted by 5 bits.

SELECT RIGHT_SHIFT(12345, 5);

The result is 385. If you convert 12345 to binary, you have 0011 0000 0011 1001. Shifting this to the right by 5 becomes 0001 1000 0001, which is 385 in decimal.

The following table demonstrates what happens during each shift.

Integer value Binary value Description
12345 0011 0000 0011 1001 Starting value
6172 0001 1000 0001 1100 Shift right by 1
3086 0000 1100 0000 1110 Shift right by 2
1543 0000 0110 0000 0111 Shift right by 3
771 0000 0011 0000 0011 Shift right by 4
385 0000 0001 1000 0001 Shift right by 5

See also