Date pictures
When you load data, the date-format picture specifies how the formats the input data before it writes the data into a database. When you extract data from a database, the date-format picture specifies how the HPL reformats the date before it writes the date to the output.
The date control characters are
M, D,
and Y. The following list provides definitions of
these control characters. - Character
- Definition
- D
- Day value
- H
- Hour value
- M
- Month value or minute value
- S
- Second value
- Y
- Year value
You can use HCL Informix® DATETIME strings, such as YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS.
The following table shows some examples of date picture
strings.
| Picture | DBDATE value | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| MM/DD/YY | YMD2/ | 12/20/91 | 91/12/20 |
| MM/DD/YY | DMY2/ | 12/20/91 | 20/12/91 |
| MMDDYY | DMY2/ | 122091 | 20/12/91 |
| MM DD YYYY | DMY4/ | 12/20/1991 | 20/12/1991 |
| MM/DD/YY | DMY2. | 12/20/91 | 20.12.91 |
| M/D/YY | DMY2/ | 02/01/91 | 2/1/91 |