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Asked: 2024-09-23T09:33:24+05:30 In: ,

How can I modify the date format to dd-mm-yyyy in an SQL SELECT query?

I was diving into some SQL queries for a project I’m working on, and I hit a bit of a snag that I could really use your input on. You know how date formats can be super annoying sometimes? Well, I need to pull some date data from my database, but the default format it’s showing me is all over the place—like mm/dd/yyyy. Not exactly what I want for my output.

What I’m aiming for is to have the dates displayed in the dd-mm-yyyy format. It seems more user-friendly to me, especially for the audience I’m working with. They just find it so much easier to read dates that way. So, I was wondering if you guys could help me out with how to modify the date format in an SQL SELECT query to achieve this.

I’ve played around a bit with different functions like `FORMAT()` and `CONVERT()` in SQL, but I’m not entirely sure if I’m on the right track. I suspect there are different ways to do this depending on what SQL database you’re using—like MySQL, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL. It can get a bit overwhelming, and I don’t want to mess things up further.

Also, if anyone has any cool tips or tricks to share about handling date formats in SQL, I’m all ears! It’s those little things that can really make a difference in how the data is perceived, you know? And who doesn’t love a well-formatted date?

So, to summarize: How would you go about changing the date format in a SELECT query to dd-mm-yyyy? Specifically, what functions or tricks should I be using? Any examples or snippets you can share would be super helpful too. Thanks a ton—I appreciate any insights you all can share!

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    2 Answers


    1. It sounds like you’re having a bit of a tough time with date formats in SQL. Totally understand the struggle! So, let’s see if we can clear things up a bit.

      First off, the way you format dates can definitely differ based on the SQL database you’re using. Here’s a quick rundown:

      For MySQL:

      SELECT DATE_FORMAT(your_date_column, '%d-%m-%Y') AS formatted_date
FROM your_table;

      This will convert your date to the dd-mm-yyyy format. Pretty straightforward!

      For SQL Server:

      SELECT FORMAT(your_date_column, 'dd-MM-yyyy') AS formatted_date
FROM your_table;

      Just like that, SQL Server makes it easy to format dates using the FORMAT function.

      For PostgreSQL:

      SELECT TO_CHAR(your_date_column, 'DD-MM-YYYY') AS formatted_date
FROM your_table;

      This is how you can achieve the format in PostgreSQL—using the TO_CHAR function.

      So, depending on what you’re working with, you can grab the right function for your SQL database!

      As for some tips, make sure your original date column is actually stored as a date type (like DATE or DATETIME). If it’s stored as a string, you might have to convert it first. And also, watch out for any timezone issues if your audience is in different places.

      Hope that helps you get your dates looking right! 😊


    2. To change the date format in your SQL SELECT query to dd-mm-yyyy, you’ll want to use specific functions that vary based on the SQL database you are using. For MySQL, you can utilize the `DATE_FORMAT()` function which allows you to specify the output format directly. Here’s an example query: SELECT DATE_FORMAT(your_date_column, '%d-%m-%Y') AS formatted_date FROM your_table;. This will convert the date into the format you desire. On the other hand, if you are using SQL Server, you can employ the `CONVERT()` function, which would look like this: SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR, your_date_column, 105) AS formatted_date FROM your_table;. The ‘105’ style code formats the date as dd-mm-yyyy, which is precisely what you are aiming for.

      For PostgreSQL users, the function you want is `TO_CHAR()`, which can format dates using a similar method: SELECT TO_CHAR(your_date_column, 'DD-MM-YYYY') AS formatted_date FROM your_table;. Additionally, when dealing with date formats, it’s helpful to pay attention to the default settings of your database and locale, as they can influence how dates are interpreted and displayed. It’s also a good idea to ensure the date column you’re formatting is in a proper date type to avoid any unexpected results. These functions offer a robust way to handle date formatting effectively, enhancing the readability of your output.

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