Controls how a date, time, or timestamp value is passed to the client application when queried.
Option can be set as a temporary option only, for the duration of the current connection or for the PUBLIC role.
Requires the SET ANY PUBLIC OPTION system privilege to set this option. Takes effect immediately.
RETURN_DATE_TIME_AS_STRING indicates whether date, time, and timestamp values are returned to applications as a date or time data type or as a string.
When this option is set to ON, the server converts the date, time, or timestamp value to a string before it is sent to the client in order to preserve the TIMESTAMP_FORMAT, DATE_FORMAT, or TIME_FORMAT option setting.
Sybase Control Center and Interactive SQL automatically turn the RETURN_DATE_TIME_AS_STRING option ON.