Question

How to get Oracle to use multiple date formats in the same query (w/o using to_char or to_date)?

Asked by: jrram

I am trying to manually duplicate the results of a query some software at my job runs.  I have attached a sample query below.

When the software runs the query it returns (desired result):

'001-001-01-JAN-06-0-6-6-6','2006-01-06 00:00:00'

When I run the query manually in SQLPlus I get:

'001-001-01-JAN-06-0-6-6-6','01-JAN-06'

Notice the second field format is different.  I thought it might be because the Java code was setting the NLS_DATE_FORMAT='YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS'; before it issues the query.

So I tried this and got:

'001-001-2006-01-01 00:00:00-0-6-6-6','2006-01-06 00:00:00'

Now the first field format is different, but the second field matches the desired result.  This let me know that if you set the NLS_DATE_FORMAT, then it isnt negated when doing a concatenation.


Without using to_date() or to_char() around and individual field query, is it possible generate the desired output above?

NOTE: The default NLS_DATE_FORMAT setting is DD-MON-RR when either the software or i connect manually.  And, I have attached the complete NLS settings in case they may be helpful.

select trim(trailing '-' from PC.COMPANY||'-'||PC.PAYGROUP||'-'||PC.PAY_END_DT||'-'||PC.OFF_CYCLE||'-'||PC.PAGE_NUM||'-'||PC.LINE_NUM||'-'||PC.SEPCHK, PC.PAY_END_DT

                                  
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Asked On
2009-03-20 at 09:43:46ID24249986
Tags

oracle

,

concatenation

,

nls_date_format

Topic

Oracle Database

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: schwertnerPosted on 2009-03-20 at 10:03:35ID: 23941362

Using NLS_DATE_FORMAT='YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS';
you can get the desired result for ALL queries on DATE columns
without using TO_CHAR function.
If yopu need a special format of the DATE you have to code appropriate
format mask in TO_CHAR function.

 

by: sdstuberPosted on 2009-03-20 at 10:06:58ID: 23941398

sorry, for this situation you must use explicit conversions to get your data the way you want

however, I recommend to ALWAYS use to_date and to_char with an explicit date mask

best practice is to forget the nls_date_format parameter even exists.
since that's probably not possible and it's not possible to turn it off, next best is to set it to something unusable like 'sssss' that way all your developers are forced to use explicit conversions.

with legacy code that's probably not feasible, but something to keep in mind

 

by: schwertnerPosted on 2009-03-20 at 12:15:31ID: 23942835

Your output is a complex concatenation of strings and as I said you have to control the appearance of the DATE characters using TO_CHAR function.
It is used to form the desired output from DATE and NUMBER type columns.

 

by: markgeerPosted on 2009-03-20 at 12:36:20ID: 23943077

"How to get Oracle to use multiple date formats in the same query (w/o using to_char or to_date)?"

Sorry, that's not possible.  All dates will be returned in the same format unless you use to_char on individual columns to format some differently than others.

If your application (or database) has some columns defined as CHAR or varchar2 or nubmer columns, but they actually contain "date" values (at least those recognized as "dates" by humans or some programs, then it is possible to get a variety of formats back from a single query, but these are not all then true "date" values.

 

by: jrramPosted on 2009-03-21 at 02:20:49ID: 23946488

Thanks for all the responses and I can of figured as much.  My best guess is that the developer who wrote this code is doing some type of data manipulation post query to get the dates in the different formats.

 

by: schwertnerPosted on 2009-03-21 at 02:23:11ID: 23946491

You are correct. he has concatenated some strings, because the output you get can not be derived ONLY  from date data, no matter if it stored in DATE or VARCHAR2 type columns.

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