TO_DATE

Syntax

Purpose

TO_DATE converts char of CHAR or VARCHAR2 datatype to a value of DATE datatype. The fmt is a date format specifying the format of char. If you omit fmt, char must be in the default date format. If fmt is 'J', for Julian, then char must be an integer.

The 'nlsparams' has the same purpose in this function as in the TO_CHAR function for date conversion.

Do not use the TO_DATE function with a DATE value for the char argument. The returned DATE value can have a different century value than the original char, depending on fmt or the default date format.

See Also: "Date Format Models".

Example

INSERT INTO bonus (bonus_date)
  SELECT TO_DATE(
    'January 15, 1989, 11:00 A.M.',
    'Month dd, YYYY, HH:MI A.M.',
     'NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE = American')
     FROM DUAL;