There could, so easily, have been three “to_char()” overloads for these three data types…
The argument about avoiding the implicit cast, and thus being easier for newcomers to figure out, is the compelling one for me. But, frankly, “it just works” applies here - I’ve seen little evidence that there is a meaningful usability issue in the community.
Thanks, David. Yes, I agree. This will be my advice:
Use a “date” actual for “to_char()”, with no explicit typecast, and with a template that makes sense. In this special case it’s safe to relax the usual rule of practice and just let the implicit typecast have its innocent effect.
