Compatibility of String to Datetime Conversions

There are some differences in behavior between SAP Sybase IQ and Adaptive Server Enterprise when converting strings to date and time data types.

If you convert a string containing only a time value (no date) to a date/time data type, SAP Sybase IQ and Adaptive Server Enterprise both use a default date of January 1, 1900. SQL Anywhere uses the current date.

Usage

If the milliseconds portion of a time is less than 3 digits, Adaptive Server Enterprise interprets the value differently depending on whether it was preceded by a period or a colon. If preceded by a colon, the value means thousandths of a second. If preceded by a period, 1 digit means tenths, 2 digits mean hundredths, and 3 digits mean thousandths. SAP Sybase IQ and SQL Anywhere interpret the value the same way, regardless of the separator.

  • Adaptive Server Enterprise converts the values below as shown.

12:34:56.7 to 12:34:56.700
12.34.56.78 to 12:34:56.780
12:34:56.789 to 12:34:56.789
12:34:56:7 to 12:34:56.007
12.34.56:78 to 12:34:56.078
12:34:56:789 to 12:34:56.789

  • SAP Sybase IQ converts the milliseconds value in the manner that Adaptive Server Enterprise does for values preceded by a period, in both cases:

12:34:56.7 to 12:34:56.700
12.34.56.78 to 12:34:56.780
12:34:56.789 to 12:34:56.789
12:34:56:7 to 12:34:56.700
12.34.56:78 to 12:34:56.780
12:34:56:789 to 12:34:56.789
Parent topic: SQL Data Types
Related reference
Usage for Date and Time Data Types