SP2-0246 when COLUMN FORMAT DATE in sqlplus

Question

Hi,
I've read in 'Oracle 11g SQL' Jason Price book that I can format column of DATE type in sqlplus by i.e.:
COLUMN <name> FORMAT 'YYYY'
but when I tried then got:
SQL> SELECT table_name, column_name, data_type FROM user_tab_columns WHERE data_type LIKE '%DATE%';
TABLE_NAME COLUMN_NAME
DATA_TYPE
CUSTOMERS DOB
DATE
CUSTOMERS2 DOB
DATE
ORDER_STATUS LAST_MODIFIED
DATE
SQL> COLUMN dob FORMAT YYYY
SP2-0246: Illegal FORMAT string "YYYY"
Well, there is mistake in the book or I'm doing sth in wrong way???
greetings
mac

Answer 1

Welcome to the forum.
Usually this is done through NLS_DATE_FORMAT:
SQL> create table t as select sysdate dt from dual;
Table created.
SQL> desc t
Name                                      Null?    Type
DT                                                 DATE
SQL> column dt format YYYY
SP2-0246: Illegal FORMAT string "YYYY"
SQL> column dt format "YYYY"
SP2-0246: Illegal FORMAT string "YYYY"
SQL>  column dt format 'yyyy'
SP2-0246: Illegal FORMAT string "yyyy"
SQL> select * from t;
DT
24-03-2013 14:08:39
SQL> alter session set nls_date_format = 'YYYY';
Session altered.
SQL> select * from t;
DT
2013
SQL>