DATE

The DATE function returns a date from a value.

DATE(expression)
expression
An expression that returns a value of one of the following built-in data types: a date, a timestamp, a character string, a graphic string, or any numeric data type.
  • If expression is a character or graphic string, its value must be one of the following:
    • A valid string representation of a date or timestamp. For the valid formats of string representations of dates and timestamps, see String representations of datetime values.
    • A string with an actual length of 7 that represents a valid date in the form yyyynnn, where yyyy are digits denoting a year, and nnn are digits between 001 and 366 denoting a day of that year.
  • If expression is a number, it must be a positive number less than or equal to 3 652 059.

The result of the function is a date. If the argument can be null, the result can be null; if the argument is null, the result is the null value.

The other rules depend on the data type of the argument:

  • If the argument is a timestamp:

    The result is the date part of the timestamp.

  • If the argument is a date:

    The result is that date.

  • If the argument is a number:

    The result is the date that is n-1 days after January 1, 0001, where n is the integral part of the number.

  • If the argument is a character or graphic string:

    The result is the date represented by the string or the date part of the timestamp value represented by the string.

Note

Syntax alternatives: The CAST specification should be used to increase the portability of applications when the argument is a date, timestamp, or character string. For more information, see CAST specification.

Examples

  • Assume that the column RECEIVED (TIMESTAMP) has an internal value equivalent to ‘1988-12-25-17.12.30.000000'. 
       SELECT DATE(RECEIVED)
     FROM IN_TRAY
     WHERE SOURCE = 'BADAMSON'

    Results in a date data type with a value of ‘1988-12-25'.

  • The following DATE scalar function applied to an ISO string representation of a date: 
      SELECT DATE('1988-12-25')
    FROM SYSIBM.SYSDUMMY1

    Results in a date data type with a value of ‘1988-12-25'.

  • The following DATE scalar function applied to an EUR string representation of a date: 
      SELECT DATE('25.12.1988')
    FROM SYSIBM.SYSDUMMY1

    Results in a date data type with a value of ‘1988-12-25'.

  • The following DATE scalar function applied to a positive number: 
      SELECT DATE(35)
    FROM SYSIBM.SYSDUMMY1

    Results in a date data type with a value of ‘0001-02-04'.