How to use CONVERT function in MS Access. 1

[tatey]

Starting out learning SQL and am trying to figure out exactly what the following line does when it mentions CONVERT. What is CONVERT in SQL?


select @MatDate=convert(char(8),@Date1,112)

I tried to find this in various help files but nothing there.
Thanks
ST

 

[Tim1]

Hiya,

CONVERT is the SQL function to convert data from one type to another. Some conversions can be done implicity, eg. from int to smallint, from varchar to char. However, others need to be done explicitly, which is where convert comes in.

Now, the statment below converts the date in the field @date from a date format into a 8 character field.

select @MatDate=convert(char(8),@Date1,112)
^ ^
| |
The first part of the ------- |
convert statement is to |
define what the NEW |
data type is to be |
|
This is the column / variable to be ---
converted to the new data type.

Tim