title: ORACLE: How to convert BLOB to VARCHAR2
body: <p>I have a table that have a BLOB data type. I wanted to get the value of the BLOB and convert it to Varchar2 or string text readable format. I'm using the code below. The expected result is just a string varchar2. However it is returning special characters that I can't read.
  SQL:</p>
  
  <pre><code> select UTL_RAW.CAST_TO_VARCHAR2(dbms_lob.substr(MY_FIELD_BLOB_TYPE))
    from MY_BLOB_TABLE 
    where MY_BLOB_TABLE_ID = 12345
    ;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>RESULT:</p>
  
  <p>?p?C?.a?I?8gb?!??2f??mc?c?:0?:b?n?7i?1M9s????S?a?6gv?a]?y?m??-;???r??2n?B?20???S?4n??l?%d???EM?9 ?q???3 ?m??d? ???3e???[??M1o?n???m??'????9m??????%?`??;n???a?X?????7 >9v???|?m???n?9i???4H??o??k????N?.u???2xk?6y@??c?G??U????#B????????5~?Gc?$????My?u??b????????T???1fb?_??k?ek???wk Hi???S?t???>??&amp;i?p??</p>