title: SQL nvl equivalent - without if/case statements & isnull & coalesce
body: <p>Are there any nvl() equivalent functions in SQL?</p>
  
  <p>Or something close enough to be used in the same way in certain scenarios?</p>
  
  <p><hr>
  UPDATE:
  <br>no if statements<br>no case statements<br>no isnull<br>no coalesce<hr><br></p>
  
  <pre><code>select nvl (purge_date,"SODIUFOSDIUFSDOIFUDSF") from id_rec where id=36581;
  
  
  (expression)
  
  SODIUFOSDIUFSDOIFUDSF
  
  1 row(s) retrieved.
  
  select isnull (purge_date,"SODIUFOSDIUFSDOIFUDSF") from id_rec where id=36581;
  
    674: Routine (isnull) can not be resolved.
  Error in line 1
  Near character position 8
  
  select coalesce (purge_date,"SODIUFOSDIUFSDOIFUDSF") from id_rec where id=36581;
  
    674: Routine (coalesce) can not be resolved.
  Error in line 1
  Near character position 8
  
  select decode(purge_date, NULL, "01/01/2009", purge_date) from id_rec where id=74115;
  
    800: Corresponding types must be compatible in CASE expression.
  Error in line 1
  Near character position 57
  </code></pre>