SIMPLE Command To Convert String To Number? Not CAST Or CONVERT.

Dear Experts,

Ok, I hate to ask such a seemingly dumb question, but I've
already spent far too much time on this. More that I
would care to admit.

In Sql server, how do I simply change a character into a number??????

In Oracle, it is:

select to_number(20.55)
from dual

TO_NUMBER(20.55)
----------------
20.55

And we are on with our lives.


In sql server, using the Northwinds database:

SELECT
r.regionid,
STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2)) as a_number,
cast ( STR(r.regionid) as int ) as cast_to_number
FROM REGION R

1 1.0011
2 2.0022
3 3.0033
4 4.0044




SELECT
r.regionid,
STR(r.regionid,7,2) as a_string,
CONVERT(numeric, STR(r.regionid,7,2) ) as a_number,
cast (STR(r.regionid,7,2) as numeric ) as cast_to_number
FROM REGION R

1 1.0011
2 2.0022
3 3.0033
4 4.0044



Str converts from number to string in one motion.

Isn't there a simple function in Sql Server to convert
from string to number?

What is the secret?

Thanks