Casting varchar to interval

Lists: pgsql-general
From: Chris <pgsql(at)cmulcahy(dot)com>
To: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Casting varchar to interval
Date: 2002-07-24 14:59:18
Message-ID: MWMail.pramtgee@host.none
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Lists: pgsql-general

Greetings:

I'm trying to store a timeout value into a settings table:
create table settings(
stattr varchar(25),
stvalue varchar(25));
insert into settings(stattr, stvalue) values ('timeout', '1 hr');

I would like to determine if this time has elapsed:
select selasthit - stvalue::interval as thetime from sessions, settings;
(obviously, there's only one row in my settings table for testing purposes)

I keep getting:
ERROR: Cannot cast type 'character varying' to 'interval'

Can anyone suggest a solution?

Thanks
Chris