Thread: Date format errors

Hi Guys and Gals

I have been searching the Docs and lists for an explanation for this error
but to no avail. I'm hoping that someone has had the same problem here &
solved it. I can see that many people have had the error but can't seem to
find the Solution.

I am running Postgresql 7.2.1 with Redhat 8.0 on an IBM Netfinity 5500M10.

When trying to insert a date into a table using HTML Forms & PHP, PGAdminII,
WINSql and even psql on the server I get the following error.

    Query failed: ERROR: Bad date external representation
The syntax I am using is bog simple.

     INSERT INTO repairs VALUES
    (nextval('repairs_id_seq'), '$date', '$username', '$item',
'$serialnumber', '$fault', '$company', '$jobcard',     '$datereturned',
'$comments')

However using PGAdminII I am able to insert records using the view data
function and adding.

I have tried setting the DateStyle to ISO/American as well as ISO/European
still no go. I have tried swopping the yyyy/mm/dd around and tried various
methods of typing the date.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks


Craig Elston
Systems Specialist

PIC Solutions
P.O. Box 2455, Cape Town 8000, South Africa

Tel:    +27 (0)21 680-6008
Fax:    +27 (0)21 680-6003
Email:    CElston@PICSolutions.com
Web:    www.PICSolutions.com


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On Wed, Apr 23, 2003 at 16:28:27 +0200,
  Craig Elston <CElston@PICsolutions.com> wrote:
>
> When trying to insert a date into a table using HTML Forms & PHP, PGAdminII,
> WINSql and even psql on the server I get the following error.
>
>     Query failed: ERROR: Bad date external representation
> The syntax I am using is bog simple.
>
>      INSERT INTO repairs VALUES
>     (nextval('repairs_id_seq'), '$date', '$username', '$item',
> '$serialnumber', '$fault', '$company', '$jobcard',     '$datereturned',
> '$comments')

What do the values of $date and $datereturned look like?
Note in particular that '' is not a valid date value. You need to use
NULL if you want a null value.

> What do the values of $date and $datereturned look like?
> Note in particular that '' is not a valid date value. You need to use
> NULL if you want a null value.

The PHP function var_dump is an excellent debugging tool.
--
Mike Nolan