/* Create a table we can experiment with */ CREATE TABLE test001 (my_date DATE); /* Insert some dates using Oracle's default format */ INSERT INTO test001 VALUES('17-Feb-1994'); INSERT INTO test001 VALUES('15-Aug-1994'); /* Date formats from: * http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/books/devintl/S25C7.HTM */ /* Change the format to Portuguese * and select the dates. */ ALTER SESSION SET NLS_DATE_FORMAT = 'DD/MM/YY'; INSERT INTO test001 VALUES('27/10/1994'); SELECT * FROM test001; /* Change the format to Arabic/Iraq * and select the dates. */ ALTER SESSION SET NLS_DATE_FORMAT = 'YY/MM/DD'; INSERT INTO test001 VALUES('1994/06/29'); SELECT * FROM test001; /* Use a more verbose format and select the dates. */ ALTER SESSION SET NLS_DATE_FORMAT='MONTH DD, YYYY'; SELECT * FROM test001;