Returning Date in a Cursor.

Question

I have a SQL select which will get 'dates' stored in table (field defined as 'date' in table).
Which one is a valid statement below?
Select TO_DATE(start_date, 'MM/DD/YYYY') from table;
Or
Select TO_DATE(TO_CHAR(start_date,'MM/DD/YYYY'), 'MM/DD/YYYY') from table;
Or
Select start_date from table;
Note: I am returning these date to the aspx page in a Cursor (query returns more than one date)

Answer 1

If you expect date in aspx then you can use last query, if you expect string use
-- you can specify your own date format instead of YYYYMMDD
SELECT TO_CHAR(start_date, 'YYYYMMDD') FROM table;
SeshuGiri wrote:Select TO_DATE(start_date, 'MM/DD/YYYY') from table;It's unnecessary converting date into date...
SeshuGiri wrote:
Select TO_DATE(TO_CHAR(start_date,'MM/DD/YYYY'), 'MM/DD/YYYY') from table;Date is just date, format depends on your NLS settings, converting date into char and then char into date gives you nothing...
Edited by: Łukasz Mastalerz on Oct 9, 2008 6:40 PM