How to Convert VARCHAR to DATETIME in SQL Server?

Converting VARCHAR to DATETIME in SQL Server

In SQL Server, you may encounter situations where you need to convert data from a VARCHAR (string) format to a DATETIME format. This conversion is necessary when you want to perform date-related operations or ensure the correct representation of temporal data.

To convert a VARCHAR to DATETIME, you can use the CONVERT() function. Here's how:

1. Convert to DATETIME:

To simply convert a VARCHAR value to a DATETIME, use the following syntax:

SELECT CONVERT(DATETIME, '2011-09-28 18:01:00', 120);

This will convert the string '2011-09-28 18:01:00' to a DATETIME object.

2. Convert to a Specific Format:

If you need to convert the DATETIME object to a specific format (e.g., '28-09-2011 18:01:00'), you can combine multiple CONVERT() functions to achieve the desired output:

SELECT
    CONVERT(VARCHAR(30), @date, 105) -- Italian format [28-09-2011 18:01:00]
    + ' ' +
    SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(30), @date, 108); -- Full date [with time/minutes/sec]

In this example, @date represents the DATETIME object you want to format.

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