Using translate for date in the control file !!

Question

Hi,
I am having data file where in i expect date but get non-numeric character.
I am generating control file dynamically (programatically).
While creating control file i know that here the type of data will be date so i put datatype as date. But at one place i got non numeric character instead of date.
Now i want to put somekind of logic built in my dynamic generation which will check whether if value within that column is character then make it null and then load data. And if it is numeric keep it as it it.
i.e.
if(non-numericChars)
make value null before loading.
else
keep the value as it and then load it.
I heard that with translate function we can do that. Right ?
So if i have a line like this in my control file:
column_Name date "MM/DD/YYYY HH:MI:SS AM"
How should i write the above statement to put the above mentioned logic.
Any help would be highly appreciated.
Regards,
Dipesh

Answer 1

and Perhaps TO_DATE can help you :
TO_DATE
Syntax
to_date::=
Text description of to_date
Purpose
TO_DATE converts char of CHAR, VARCHAR2, NCHAR, or NVARCHAR2 datatype to a value of DATE datatype. The fmt is a date format specifying the format of char. If you omit fmt, then char must be in the default date format. If fmt is 'J', for Julian, then char must be an integer.
Note:
This function does not convert data to any of the other datetime datatypes. For information on other datetime conversions, please refer to TO_TIMESTAMP, TO_TIMESTAMP_TZ, TO_DSINTERVAL, and "TO_YMINTERVAL".
The default date format is determined implicitly by the NLS_TERRITORY initialization parameter, or can be set explicitly by the NLS_DATE_FORMAT parameter.
The 'nlsparam' has the same purpose in this function as in the TO_CHAR function for date conversion.
Do not use the TO_DATE function with a DATE value for the char argument. The first two digits of the returned DATE value can differ from the original char, depending on fmt or the default date format.
Note:
This function does not support CLOB data directly. However, CLOBs can be passed in as arguments through implicit data conversion. Please refer to "Datatype Comparison Rules" for more information.
See Also:
"Date Format Models"
Examples
The following example converts a character string into a date:
SELECT TO_DATE(
'January 15, 1989, 11:00 A.M.',
'Month dd, YYYY, HH:MI A.M.',
'NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE = American')
FROM DUAL;
TO_DATE('
15-JAN-89
The value returned reflects the default date format if the NLS_TERRITORY parameter is set to 'AMERICA'. Different NLS_TERRITORY values result in different default date formats:
ALTER SESSION SET NLS_TERRITORY = 'KOREAN';
SELECT TO_DATE(
'January 15, 1989, 11:00 A.M.',
'Month dd, YYYY, HH:MI A.M.',
'NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE = American')
FROM DUAL;
TO_DATE(
89/01/15
http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/B10501_01/server.920/a96540/functions137a.htm#SQLRF06132
Joel P�rez