4.6. Formatting Functions

Author: Written by Karel Zak () on 2000-01-24

The Postgres formatting functions provide a powerful set of tools for converting various data types (date/time, integer, floating point, numeric) to formatted strings and for converting from formatted strings to specific data types. These functions all follow a common calling convention: the first argument is the value to be formatted and the second argument is a template that defines the output or input format.

Table 4-9. Formatting Functions

FunctionReturnsDescriptionExample
to_char(timestamp, text)textconvert timestamp to stringto_char(timestamp 'now','HH12:MI:SS')
to_char(int, text)textconvert int4/int8 to stringto_char(125, '999')
to_char(double precision, text)textconvert real/double precision to stringto_char(125.8, '999D9')
to_char(numeric, text)textconvert numeric to stringto_char(numeric '-125.8', '999D99S')
to_date(text, text)dateconvert string to dateto_date('05 Dec 2000', 'DD Mon YYYY')
to_timestamp(text, text)timestampconvert string to timestampto_timestamp('05 Dec 2000', 'DD Mon YYYY')
to_number(text, text)numericconvert string to numericto_number('12,454.8-', '99G999D9S')

In an output template string, there are certain patterns that are recognized and replaced with appropriately-formatted data from the value to be formatted. Any text that is not a template pattern is simply copied verbatim. Similarly, in an input template string template patterns identify the parts of the input data string to be looked at and the values to be found there.

Table 4-10. Template patterns for date/time conversions

PatternDescription
HHhour of day (01-12)
HH12hour of day (01-12)
HH24hour of day (00-23)
MIminute (00-59)
SSsecond (00-59)
SSSSseconds past midnight (0-86399)
AM or A.M. or PM or P.M.meridian indicator (upper case)
am or a.m. or pm or p.m.meridian indicator (lower case)
Y,YYYyear (4 and more digits) with comma
YYYYyear (4 and more digits)
YYYlast 3 digits of year
YYlast 2 digits of year
Ylast digit of year
BC or B.C. or AD or A.D.year indicator (upper case)
bc or b.c. or ad or a.d.year indicator (lower case)
MONTHfull upper case month name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
Monthfull mixed case month name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
monthfull lower case month name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
MONabbreviated upper case month name (3 chars)
Monabbreviated mixed case month name (3 chars)
monabbreviated lower case month name (3 chars)
MMmonth number (01-12)
DAYfull upper case day name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
Dayfull mixed case day name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
dayfull lower case day name (blank-padded to 9 chars)
DYabbreviated upper case day name (3 chars)
Dyabbreviated mixed case day name (3 chars)
dyabbreviated lower case day name (3 chars)
DDDday of year (001-366)
DDday of month (01-31)
Dday of week (1-7; SUN=1)
Wweek of month (1-5) where first week start on the first day of the month
WWweek number of year (1-53) where first week start on the first day of the year
IWISO week number of year (The first Thursday of the new year is in week 1.)
CCcentury (2 digits)
JJulian Day (days since January 1, 4712 BC)
Qquarter
RMmonth in Roman Numerals (I-XII; I=January) - upper case
rmmonth in Roman Numerals (I-XII; I=January) - lower case
TZtimezone name - upper case
tztimezone name - lower case

Certain modifiers may be applied to any template pattern to alter its behavior. For example, "FMMonth" is the "Month" pattern with the "FM" prefix.

Table 4-11. Template pattern modifiers for date/time conversions

ModifierDescriptionExample
FM prefixfill mode (suppress padding blanks and zeroes)FMMonth
TH suffixadd upper-case ordinal number suffixDDTH
th suffixadd lower-case ordinal number suffixDDth
FX prefixFiXed format global option (see below)FX Month DD Day
SP suffixspell mode (not yet implemented)DDSP

Usage notes:

Table 4-12. Template patterns for numeric conversions

PatternDescription
9value with the specified number of digits
0value with leading zeros
. (period)decimal point
, (comma)group (thousand) separator
PRnegative value in angle brackets
Snegative value with minus sign (uses locale)
Lcurrency symbol (uses locale)
Ddecimal point (uses locale)
Ggroup separator (uses locale)
MIminus sign in specified position (if number < 0)
PLplus sign in specified position (if number > 0)
SGplus/minus sign in specified position
RNroman numeral (input between 1 and 3999)
TH or thconvert to ordinal number
Vshift n digits (see notes)
EEEEscientific numbers (not supported yet)

Usage notes:

Table 4-13. to_char Examples

InputOutput
to_char(now(),'Day, DD HH12:MI:SS')'Tuesday , 06 05:39:18'
to_char(now(),'FMDay, FMDD HH12:MI:SS')'Tuesday, 6 05:39:18'
to_char(-0.1,'99.99')' -.10'
to_char(-0.1,'FM9.99')'-.1'
to_char(0.1,'0.9')' 0.1'
to_char(12,'9990999.9')' 0012.0'
to_char(12,'FM9990999.9')'0012'
to_char(485,'999')' 485'
to_char(-485,'999')'-485'
to_char(485,'9 9 9')' 4 8 5'
to_char(1485,'9,999')' 1,485'
to_char(1485,'9G999')' 1 485'
to_char(148.5,'999.999')' 148.500'
to_char(148.5,'999D999')' 148,500'
to_char(3148.5,'9G999D999')' 3 148,500'
to_char(-485,'999S')'485-'
to_char(-485,'999MI')'485-'
to_char(485,'999MI')'485'
to_char(485,'PL999')'+485'
to_char(485,'SG999')'+485'
to_char(-485,'SG999')'-485'
to_char(-485,'9SG99')'4-85'
to_char(-485,'999PR')'<485>'
to_char(485,'L999')'DM 485
to_char(485,'RN')' CDLXXXV'
to_char(485,'FMRN')'CDLXXXV'
to_char(5.2,'FMRN')V
to_char(482,'999th')' 482nd'
to_char(485, '"Good number:"999')'Good number: 485'
to_char(485.8,'"Pre:"999" Post:" .999')'Pre: 485 Post: .800'
to_char(12,'99V999')' 12000'
to_char(12.4,'99V999')' 12400'
to_char(12.45, '99V9')' 125'