Issue updating a date

Question

UPDATE environment_booker
SET expiry = '30/12/2006'
WHERE environment_name = 'Test name 1'
gives the error
ORA-01843: not a valid month. It is a format issue I guess.
This is the table
SQL> desc environment_booker;
Name Null? Type
ENVIRONMENT_NAME VARCHAR2(50)
DESCRIPTION VARCHAR2(50)
OWNERS VARCHAR2(50)
EXPIRY DATE
SQL>
Any help would be great ?

Answer 1

And here you should see the NLS_DATE_FORMAT.
SQL> drop table table1
  2  /
Table dropped.
SQL> create table table1(col1 date)
  2  /
Table created.
SQL>
SQL> insert into table1 select sysdate from dual
  2  /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into table1 values('30-dec-2006')
  2  /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into table1 values('31/12/2006')
  2  /
insert into table1 values('31/12/2006')
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01843: not a valid month
SQL> commit
  2  /
Commit complete.
SQL> alter session set nls_date_format = 'DD/MM/YYYY'
  2  /
Session altered.
SQL> insert into table1 values('31/12/2007')
  2  /
1 row created.
SQL> insert into table1 values('30-dec-2008')
  2  /
1 row created.
SQL> commit
  2  /
Commit complete.
SQL>Cheers
Sarma.