Re: Empty date - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Andrus
Subject Re: Empty date
Date
Msg-id d2g831$v28$1@news.hub.org
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: Postgres mystery  (Shaun Clements <ShaunC@relyant.co.za>)
Responses Re: Empty date
Re: Empty date
List pgsql-general
I have a ODBC client which uses empty dates in its native data engine.
Unfortunately, empty data causes error if trying to store it.
This is serious Postgres limitation.
For a partial fix ODBC driver or postgres should convert empty dates to
NULLs automatically. This is better that producing error.

>> How can "  " be a valid date? <<
>> You might want to reconsider your design. <<

Using your logic, I can ask: How can be 0 valid number ?  If there is not
empty dates, number 0 cannot be also legal.

Empty data is a date which is less that all other dates. It can be used in
comparisons.
In contract, NULL date means that date is not entered.

Andrus Moor

"Richard Huxton" <dev@archonet.com> wrote in message
news:424A7831.6040805@archonet.com...
> Szmutku Zolt�n wrote:
>> Hi ,
>>
>> Thanks your previous help. I have a new question :  how to store
>> empty value to date field ? ( I always get error message, in vain use
>> any format ) In my client be empty value for date fields ('    .  .
>> ') , and I would like to use NULL values and empty values also.
>
> How can "  " be a valid date?
>
> You might want to reconsider your design.
> --
>   Richard Huxton
>   Archonet Ltd
>
> ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
> TIP 9: the planner will ignore your desire to choose an index scan if your
>      joining column's datatypes do not match
>



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