Re: Problem with the to_timestamp function - Mailing list pgsql-sql

Luca Clementi <lclement@ucsd.edu> writes:
> I found the problem!!
> to_timestamp(start_time, 'M DD, YYYY  HH12:MI:SS')
> in the formatting string I have two spaces, while in the original there 
> is only one:
> 1 28, 2008 12:23:19 午後

> So if I use: 'M DD, YYYY HH12:MI:SS' as a formatting string it works!
> I wander how come if the formatting string doesn't match properly you 
> get such a bad behavior, would it better just a error?

Yeah, it should either do something reasonable or throw an error.
Improving to_timestamp's handling of such cases is on the TODO list.
In the meantime, though, the standard input converter is a whole lot
more flexible for slightly-out-of-spec input ... so I ask again,
do you really need to_timestamp at all?
        regards, tom lane