PostgreSQL 8.2.4 Documentation
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# 9.8. Data Type Formatting Functions

The PostgreSQL formatting functions provide a powerful set of tools for converting various data types (date/time, integer, floating point, numeric) to formatted strings and for converting from formatted strings to specific data types. Table 9-20 lists them. These functions all follow a common calling convention: the first argument is the value to be formatted and the second argument is a template that defines the output or input format.

The `to_timestamp` function can also take a single `double precision` argument to convert from Unix epoch to `timestamp with time zone`. (`Integer` Unix epochs are implicitly cast to `double precision`.)

Table 9-20. Formatting Functions

Function | Return Type | Description | Example
--- | --- | --- | ---
``to_char`(`timestamp`, `text`)` | `text` | convert time stamp to string | `to_char(current_timestamp, 'HH12:MI:SS')`
``to_char`(`interval`, `text`)` | `text` | convert interval to string | `to_char(interval '15h 2m 12s', 'HH24:MI:SS')`
``to_char`(`int`, `text`)` | `text` | convert integer to string | `to_char(125, '999')`
``to_char`(`double precision`, `text`)` | `text` | convert real/double precision to string | `to_char(125.8::real, '999D9')`
``to_char`(`numeric`, `text`)` | `text` | convert numeric to string | `to_char(-125.8, '999D99S')`
``to_date`(`text`, `text`)` | `date` | convert string to date | `to_date('05 Dec 2000', 'DD Mon YYYY')`
``to_number`(`text`, `text`)` | `numeric` | convert string to numeric | `to_number('12,454.8-', '99G999D9S')`
``to_timestamp`(`text`, `text`)` | `timestamp with time zone` | convert string to time stamp | `to_timestamp('05 Dec 2000', 'DD Mon YYYY')`
``to_timestamp`(`double precision`)` | `timestamp with time zone` | convert UNIX epoch to time stamp | `to_timestamp(200120400)`

In an output template string (for `to_char`), there are certain patterns that are recognized and replaced with appropriately-formatted data from the value to be formatted. Any text that is not a template pattern is simply copied verbatim. Similarly, in an input template string (for anything but `to_char`), template patterns identify the parts of the input data string to be looked at and the values to be found there.

Table 9-21 shows the template patterns available for formatting date and time values.

Table 9-21. Template Patterns for Date/Time Formatting

Pattern | Description
--- | ---
`HH` | hour of day (01-12)
`HH12` | hour of day (01-12)
`HH24` | hour of day (00-23)
`MI` | minute (00-59)
`SS` | second (00-59)
`MS` | millisecond (000-999)
`US` | microsecond (000000-999999)
`SSSS` | seconds past midnight (0-86399)
`AM` or `A.M.` or `PM` or `P.M.` | meridian indicator (uppercase)
`am` or `a.m.` or `pm` or `p.m.` | meridian indicator (lowercase)
`Y,YYY` | year (4 and more digits) with comma
`YYYY` | year (4 and more digits)
`YYY` | last 3 digits of year
`YY` | last 2 digits of year
`Y` | last digit of year
`IYYY` | ISO year (4 and more digits)
`IYY` | last 3 digits of ISO year
`IY` | last 2 digits of ISO year
`I` | last digits of ISO year
`BC` or `B.C.` or `AD` or `A.D.` | era indicator (uppercase)
`bc` or `b.c.` or `ad` or `a.d.` | era indicator (lowercase)
`MONTH` | full uppercase month name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
`Month` | full mixed-case month name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
`month` | full lowercase month name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
`MON` | abbreviated uppercase month name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary)
`Mon` | abbreviated mixed-case month name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary)
`mon` | abbreviated lowercase month name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary)
`MM` | month number (01-12)
`DAY` | full uppercase day name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
`Day` | full mixed-case day name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
`day` | full lowercase day name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
`DY` | abbreviated uppercase day name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary)
`Dy` | abbreviated mixed-case day name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary)
`dy` | abbreviated lowercase day name (3 chars in English, localized lengths vary)
`DDD` | day of year (001-366)
`DD` | day of month (01-31)
`D` | day of week (1-7; Sunday is 1)
`W` | week of month (1-5) (The first week starts on the first day of the month.)
`WW` | week number of year (1-53) (The first week starts on the first day of the year.)
`IW` | ISO week number of year (The first Thursday of the new year is in week 1.)
`CC` | century (2 digits) (The twenty-first century starts on 2001-01-01.)
`J` | Julian Day (days since January 1, 4712 BC)
`Q` | quarter
`RM` | month in Roman numerals (I-XII; I=January) (uppercase)
`rm` | month in Roman numerals (i-xii; i=January) (lowercase)
`TZ` | time-zone name (uppercase)
`tz` | time-zone name (lowercase)

Certain modifiers may be applied to any template pattern to alter its behavior. For example, `FMMonth` is the `Month` pattern with the `FM` modifier. Table 9-22 shows the modifier patterns for date/time formatting.

Table 9-22. Template Pattern Modifiers for Date/Time Formatting

Modifier | Description | Example
--- | --- | ---
`FM` prefix | fill mode (suppress padding blanks and zeroes) | `FMMonth`
`TH` suffix | uppercase ordinal number suffix | `DDTH`
`th` suffix | lowercase ordinal number suffix | `DDth`
`FX` prefix | fixed format global option (see usage notes) | `FX Month DD Day`
`TM` prefix | translation mode (print localized day and month names based on `lc_messages`) | `TMMonth`
`SP` suffix | spell mode (not yet implemented) | `DDSP`

Usage notes for date/time formatting:

- `FM` suppresses leading zeroes and trailing blanks that would otherwise be added to make the output of a pattern be fixed-width.

- `TM` does not include trailing blanks.

- `to_timestamp` and `to_date` skip multiple blank spaces in the input string if the `FX` option is not used. `FX` must be specified as the first item in the template. For example `to_timestamp('2000 JUN', 'YYYY MON')` is correct, but `to_timestamp('2000 JUN', 'FXYYYY MON')` returns an error, because `to_timestamp` expects one space only.

- Ordinary text is allowed in `to_char` templates and will be output literally. You can put a substring in double quotes to force it to be interpreted as literal text even if it contains pattern key words. For example, in `'"Hello Year "YYYY'`, the `YYYY` will be replaced by the year data, but the single `Y` in `Year` will not be.

- If you want to have a double quote in the output you must precede it with a backslash, for example `E'\\"YYYY Month\\"'`. (Two backslashes are necessary because the backslash already has a special meaning when using the escape string syntax.)

- The `YYYY` conversion from string to `timestamp` or `date` has a restriction if you use a year with more than 4 digits. You must use some non-digit character or template after `YYYY`, otherwise the year is always interpreted as 4 digits. For example (with the year 20000): `to_date('200001131', 'YYYYMMDD')` will be interpreted as a 4-digit year; instead use a non-digit separator after the year, like `to_date('20000-1131', 'YYYY-MMDD')` or `to_date('20000Nov31', 'YYYYMonDD')`.

- In conversions from string to `timestamp` or `date`, the `CC` field is ignored if there is a `YYY`, `YYYY` or `Y,YYY` field. If `CC` is used with `YY` or `Y` then the year is computed as `(CC-1)*100+YY`.

- Millisecond (`MS`) and microsecond (`US`) values in a conversion from string to `timestamp` are used as part of the seconds after the decimal point. For example `to_timestamp('12:3', 'SS:MS')` is not 3 milliseconds, but 300, because the conversion counts it as 12 + 0.3 seconds. This means for the format `SS:MS`, the input values `12:3`, `12:30`, and `12:300` specify the same number of milliseconds. To get three milliseconds, one must use `12:003`, which the conversion counts as 12 + 0.003 = 12.003 seconds.

  Here is a more complex example: `to_timestamp('15:12:02.020.001230', 'HH:MI:SS.MS.US')` is 15 hours, 12 minutes, and 2 seconds + 20 milliseconds + 1230 microseconds = 2.021230 seconds.

- `to_char`'s day of the week numbering (see the 'D' formatting pattern) is different from that of the `extract` function.

- `to_char(interval)` formats `HH` and `HH12` as hours in a single day, while `HH24` can output hours exceeding a single day, e.g. >24.

Table 9-23 shows the template patterns available for formatting numeric values.

Table 9-23. Template Patterns for Numeric Formatting

Pattern | Description
--- | ---
`9` | value with the specified number of digits
`0` | value with leading zeros
`.` (period) | decimal point
`,` (comma) | group (thousand) separator
`PR` | negative value in angle brackets
`S` | sign anchored to number (uses locale)
`L` | currency symbol (uses locale)
`D` | decimal point (uses locale)
`G` | group separator (uses locale)
`MI` | minus sign in specified position (if number < 0)
`PL` | plus sign in specified position (if number > 0)
`SG` | plus/minus sign in specified position
`RN` | roman numeral (input between 1 and 3999)
`TH` or `th` | ordinal number suffix
`V` | shift specified number of digits (see notes)
`EEEE` | scientific notation (not implemented yet)

Usage notes for numeric formatting:

- A sign formatted using `SG`, `PL`, or `MI` is not anchored to the number; for example, `to_char(-12, 'S9999')` produces `' -12'`, but `to_char(-12, 'MI9999')` produces `'- 12'`. The Oracle implementation does not allow the use of `MI` ahead of `9`, but rather requires that `9` precede `MI`.

- `9` results in a value with the same number of digits as there are `9`s. If a digit is not available it outputs a space.

- `TH` does not convert values less than zero and does not convert fractional numbers.

- `PL`, `SG`, and `TH` are PostgreSQL extensions.

- `V` effectively multiplies the input values by `10^`n``, where `n` is the number of digits following `V`. `to_char` does not support the use of `V` combined with a decimal point. (E.g., `99.9V99` is not allowed.)

Table 9-24 shows some examples of the use of the `to_char` function.

Table 9-24. `to_char` Examples

Expression | Result
--- | ---
`to_char(current_timestamp, 'Day, DD HH12:MI:SS')` | `'Tuesday , 06 05:39:18'`
`to_char(current_timestamp, 'FMDay, FMDD HH12:MI:SS')` | `'Tuesday, 6 05:39:18'`
`to_char(-0.1, '99.99')` | `' -.10'`
`to_char(-0.1, 'FM9.99')` | `'-.1'`
`to_char(0.1, '0.9')` | `' 0.1'`
`to_char(12, '9990999.9')` | `' 0012.0'`
`to_char(12, 'FM9990999.9')` | `'0012.'`
`to_char(485, '999')` | `' 485'`
`to_char(-485, '999')` | `'-485'`
`to_char(485, '9 9 9')` | `' 4 8 5'`
`to_char(1485, '9,999')` | `' 1,485'`
`to_char(1485, '9G999')` | `' 1 485'`
`to_char(148.5, '999.999')` | `' 148.500'`
`to_char(148.5, 'FM999.999')` | `'148.5'`
`to_char(148.5, 'FM999.990')` | `'148.500'`
`to_char(148.5, '999D999')` | `' 148,500'`
`to_char(3148.5, '9G999D999')` | `' 3 148,500'`
`to_char(-485, '999S')` | `'485-'`
`to_char(-485, '999MI')` | `'485-'`
`to_char(485, '999MI')` | `'485 '`
`to_char(485, 'FM999MI')` | `'485'`
`to_char(485, 'PL999')` | `'+485'`
`to_char(485, 'SG999')` | `'+485'`
`to_char(-485, 'SG999')` | `'-485'`
`to_char(-485, '9SG99')` | `'4-85'`
`to_char(-485, '999PR')` | `'<485>'`
`to_char(485, 'L999')` | `'DM 485`
`to_char(485, 'RN')` | `' CDLXXXV'`
`to_char(485, 'FMRN')` | `'CDLXXXV'`
`to_char(5.2, 'FMRN')` | `'V'`
`to_char(482, '999th')` | `' 482nd'`
`to_char(485, '"Good number:"999')` | `'Good number: 485'`
`to_char(485.8, '"Pre:"999" Post:" .999')` | `'Pre: 485 Post: .800'`
`to_char(12, '99V999')` | `' 12000'`
`to_char(12.4, '99V999')` | `' 12400'`
`to_char(12.45, '99V9')` | `' 125'`

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