Tricky query call on dates

Question

Hello,
I have table such that:
SQL> desc sample_table;
Name Null? Type
USER VARCHAR2(30)
TIMESTAMP DATE
ACTION VARCHAR2(100)
In the table I have values like this:
USER TIMESTAMP ACTION
FRED 5/8/2002 8:47:52 AM OPEN
FRED 5/8/2002 8:50:33 AM CLOSE
JOHN 5/8/2002 8:53:57 AM OPEN
ANN 5/8/2002 8:54:17 AM OPEN
JOHN 5/8/2002 8:55:02 AM CLOSE
ANN 5/8/2002 8:58:43 AM CLOSE
ETC....
I am displaying this information in FORMS 6i.
So I have defined the USER field as a character field.
The TIMESTAMP is a date field and I have a format mask = 'DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI:SS'
The ACTION is another character field.
I also have and 'ON-ERROR' trigger on the TIMESTAMP field to format the date correctly. IE: if they enter 5/08/2002 it will automaticly return as 08-MAY-2002. The format mask will make it 08-MAY-2002 00:00:00
I wanted to execute a query on the timestamp field. Now if I just enter a date like 08-MAY-2002 I will get no returns. I understand this as it would try to match up the TIMESTAMP field with 08-MAY-2002 00:00:00, which there is none.
I tried to create a block query for 'KEY_EXEQY' such that:
DECLARE
where_cl VARCHAR2 (5000);
date_c1 VARCHAR2 (25);
BEGIN
date_c1 := '''' || TO_CHAR (:sample_table.TIMESTAMP, 'DD-MON-YYYY') || '''';
IF :sample_table.TIMESTAMP IS NOT NULL THEN
where_cl := get_block_property ('sample_table', default_where);
IF where_cl IS NULL THEN
where_cl := 'TRUNC(TIMESTAMP) = ' || date_c1;
ELSE
where_cl := where_cl || ' AND TRUNC(TIMESTAMP) = ' || date_c1;
END IF;
set_block_property ('sample_table', default_where, where_cl);
END IF;
execute_query;
set_block_property ('sample_table', default_where, '');
END;
But when I tried to execute the query but entering 08-MAY-2002 in the timestamp field I recieved an error saying 'Query cause no record to be retrieved.'
I have tired to remove the 'ON-ERROR' trigger on the TIMESTAMP field but it did not change anything.
Since the database time field has the HH:MI:SS how can you query on that field (and have it return the values for that specified date)? How can you also allow it to accept other values for the query (IE: On the form press F7 and then for USER type FRED and for TIMESTAMP enter 08-MAY-2002 then press F8 to query it (should return all records where user is FRED and the TRUNC(TIMESTAMP) = '08-MAY-2002')) and return the desired results.
Any have a solution or idea?

Answer 1

Yes, I also tried a similar piece of code for Pre-Query.
I also recieved an email suggesting:
Present is = date_c1 := '''' || TO_CHAR (:sample_table.TIMESTAMP,
'DD-MON-YYYY') || '''';
Try for = date_c1 := '''' || TO_CHAR (:sample_table.TIMESTAMP,
'DD-MON-YYYY') || '''' || %
I would tend to think this would work but when I attempted it I would still recieved the same error notice.
For some reason it does not like me replacing the where clause. If I force the where clause in KEY_EXEQRY or the PRE-QUERY it works (IE: set_block_property ('sample_table', default_where, 'trunc(timestamp) = '||''''||'08-MAY-2002'||'''') ) Stange how it can work in once case but when I try to use a variable it just blows up. I wonder if has anything to do with using the :sample_table.TIMESTAMP field as a source for the variable?