CHAR: Converting to a Standard Date-Time Format

How to:

There are two versions of the CHAR function, one for converting an argument to a character string, and one for converting a date, time, or timestamp value to a standard format. The version that takes two arguments converts a date, time, or timestamp value to one of the standard date-time formats. For information about using CHAR to convert a single argument to a character string, see CHAR: Converting to a Character String.


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Syntax: How to Convert a Date, Time, or Timestamp Value to a Standard Format
CHAR(datetime, fmt)

where:

datetime

Date

Is the date, time, or timestamp value to be converted.

fmt

Can be one of the following formats:

Name of Standard

Date Format

Time Format

Timestamp Format

ISO

yyyy--mm--dd

hh.mm.ss

yyy--mm--dd hh:mm:ss.xxxxxx

USA

mm/dd/yyyy

hh.mm AM/PM

yyyy--mm--dd--hh.mm.ss.xxxxxx

EUR

dd.mm.yyyy

hh.mm.ss

yyyy--mm--dd--hh.mm.ss.xxxxxx

JIS

yyyy--mm--dd

hh:mm:ss

yyy--mm--dd--hh.mm.ss.xxxxxx

This function returns a character string whose length is of sufficient size to hold the value.



Example: Converting Date and Time Values to Standard Formats

CHAR converts a date, time, or timestamp value to a standard format. The following examples use the constants CURRENT DATE, CURRENT TIME, and CURRENT TIMESTAMP. Assume the current date is November 17, 2011:

CHAR(CURRENT DATE, USA) returns 11/17/2011

CHAR(CURRENT DATE, ISO) returns 2011-11-17

CHAR (CURRENT TIME, USA) returns 03:45 PM

CHAR (CURRENT TIME, ISO) returns 15.45.00

CHAR(CURRENT TIMESTAMP, ISO) returns 2011-11-17 15:45:00


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