CHAR: Converting to a Standard Date-Time Format

How to:

Convert a Date, Time, or Timestamp Value to a Standard Format

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.

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	yyyy-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	yyyy-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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