Unable to compare date "ORA-01843: not a valid month"

Question

Hello All,
I am trying to fire below query but it is failing with error. Please suggest.
SELECT column_name FROM table_name WHERE start_time < '01/01/2011 00:00:00 AM';
ORA-01843: not a valid month
In table the start_time is stored in 2/16/2013 8:31:01 PM format.
Regards,
Ankit
Edited by: 982193 on Mar 11, 2013 6:32 AM

Answer 1

Hi, Ankit,
982193 wrote:
Hello All,
I am trying to fire below query but it is failing with error. Please suggest.Whenever you have a problem, please post a little sample data (CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements, relevant columns only) from all tables involved, so that the people who want to help you can re-create the problem and test their ideas.
Also post the results you want from that data, and an explanation of how you get those results from that data, with specific examples.
Always say which version of Oracle you're using (for example, 11.2.0.2.0).
See the forum FAQ {message:id=9360002}
SELECT column_name FROM table_name WHERE start_time < '01/01/2011 00:00:00 AM';Use \ tags, as explained in the forum FAQ, so that this site won't garble your messages so much.
ORA-01843: not a valid month
In table the start_time is stored in 2/16/2013 8:31:01 PM format. If start_time is a DATE (or a TIMESTAMP) then it is not stored in that format, or any other format you would recognize.  Regardless of what the format is, don't try to compare a DATE with a VARCHAR2, such as '01/01/2011 00:00:00 AM'.  Use TO_DATE to convert the VARCHAR2 to a DATE.  For exampleWHERE start_time < TO_DATE ( '01/01/2011 12:00:00 AM'
               , 'MM/DD/YYYY HH:MI:SS AM'
If you're using AM in a time, then 0 is not a possible hour.  The hours are 12, 1, 2, ..., 11 when using AM or PM.