1. Introduction
MySQL is a popular open-source relational database management system used by thousands of organizations worldwide. One of the features offered by MySQL is the ability to convert date/time strings into a standardized format using the str_to_date() function.
2. Syntax of the str_to_date() function
The str_to_date() function takes two arguments. The first argument is a string representing a date/time value in a specified format. The second argument is a string representing the desired output format. The syntax of the function is as follows:
STR_TO_DATE(string, format)2.1 The String Argument
The first argument of the str_to_date() function is a string that represents a date/time value in a specified format. This string can be either a character string literal or a column value of a date/time data type. The date/time value must be in a format that is consistent with the format specified in the second argument of the function.
2.2 The Format Argument
The second argument of the str_to_date() function is a string that represents the desired output format for the converted date/time value. This format string can include various format specifiers that define the order and format of the different components of the date/time value.
3. Examples of the str_to_date() function
3.1 Convert a Date String to a Date Value
Suppose you have a date string in the format of "YYYY-MM-DD", e.g. "2022-01-01", and you want to convert it to a date value in MySQL. You can use the following statement:
SELECT STR_TO_DATE('2022-01-01', '%Y-%m-%d');This will return the date value 2022-01-01.
3.2 Convert a Date String with Timezone to a DateTime Value
Suppose you have a date string in the format of "YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS TIMEZONE", e.g. "2022-01-01 12:00:00 PST", and you want to convert it to a datetime value in MySQL.
SELECT STR_TO_DATE('2022-01-01 12:00:00 PST', '%Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s %Z');This will return the datetime value 2022-01-01 12:00:00.
3.3 Convert a Date String in a Different Format to a Date Value
Suppose you have a date string in the format of "DD-MON-YYYY", e.g. "01-JAN-2022", and you want to convert it to a date value in MySQL.
SELECT STR_TO_DATE('01-JAN-2022', '%d-%b-%Y');This will return the date value 2022-01-01.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, the str_to_date() function in MySQL is a useful tool for converting date/time strings into a standardized format that can be used in various operations such as sorting, filtering, and querying. The function takes two arguments, and the format string can include a variety of format specifiers that define the order and format of the different components of the date/time value. With the help of this function, you can easily convert date/time values between different formats, making it a powerful tool for data manipulation in MySQL.