How to Remove Timestamp with Date Using SQL Query: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this article, we will explore how to remove the timestamp from a date using an SQL query. This is a common requirement when working with datetime data types in SQL databases.

Understanding Date and Time Data Types

In SQL, there are several date and time data types:

1. DATE: Stores only the date (year, month, day).
2. DATETIME: Stores both date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second).
3. TIMESTAMP: Similar to DATETIME but often used for tracking changes in records.

To remove the time part from a DATETIME or TIMESTAMP, you can use functions like CAST, CONVERT, or DATEADD depending on your SQL dialect. For example, in SQL Server:

SELECT CAST(DateTimeColumn AS DATE) AS DateOnly

or

SELECT CONVERT(DATE, DateTimeColumn) AS DateOnly

These methods will strip the time portion, leaving you with just the date.

Using CAST Function

You can remove the timestamp from a datetime value using the CAST function in SQL. Here’s how you can do it:

SELECT CAST(DateTimeValue AS DATE) AS DateOnly
FROM YourTable;

This query converts the DateTimeValue to a date, effectively removing the time component.

Using CONVERT Function

You can use the CONVERT function to remove the timestamp from a datetime value in SQL. Here’s a quick example:

SELECT CONVERT(varchar, GETDATE(), 101) AS DateOnly;

In this example, 101 is the style code that formats the date as mm/dd/yyyy. You can choose different style codes to format the date as needed.

Using DATEADD and DATEDIFF Functions

Absolutely! You can remove the timestamp from a datetime in SQL by combining the DATEADD and DATEDIFF functions. Here’s a quick example:

SELECT DATEADD(dd, DATEDIFF(dd, 0, GETDATE()), 0) AS DateOnly

This query strips the time portion, leaving only the date. It’s particularly useful for more complex date manipulations.

Examples and Use Cases

Here are some practical examples of how to remove the timestamp from a date using SQL queries:

1. Filtering Records

To filter records based on the date only, you can use the CAST or CONVERT functions to strip the time part:

-- Using CAST
SELECT * FROM your_table
WHERE CAST(your_datetime_column AS DATE) = '2024-09-11';

-- Using CONVERT
SELECT * FROM your_table
WHERE CONVERT(DATE, your_datetime_column) = '2024-09-11';

2. Formatting Output

To format the output to show only the date part, you can use the FORMAT function (for SQL Server 2012 and later):

-- Using FORMAT
SELECT FORMAT(your_datetime_column, 'yyyy-MM-dd') AS formatted_date
FROM your_table;

3. Removing Time in Select Statement

If you want to display only the date part in your select statement:

-- Using CAST
SELECT CAST(your_datetime_column AS DATE) AS date_only
FROM your_table;

-- Using CONVERT
SELECT CONVERT(DATE, your_datetime_column) AS date_only
FROM your_table;

These methods help you handle dates without the time component in various scenarios.

Removing Timestamp from Date Using SQL Query

In this article, we will explore how to remove the timestamp from a date using an SQL query. This is a common requirement when working with datetime data types in SQL databases.

Date and Time Data Types in SQL

• DATE: Stores only the date (year, month, day).
• DATETIME: Stores both date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second).
• TIMESTAMP: Similar to DATETIME but often used for tracking changes in records.

Removing Time Part from DATETIME or TIMESTAMP

To remove the time part from a DATETIME or TIMESTAMP, you can use functions like CAST, CONVERT, or DATEADD depending on your SQL dialect. For example, in SQL Server:

<mlc-code-block clipboard-data="SELECT CAST(DateTimeColumn AS DATE) AS DateOnly" code-lang="sql">
SELECT CAST(DateTimeColumn AS DATE) AS DateOnly
SELECT CONVERT(DATE, DateTimeColumn) AS DateOnly
Using CAST Function to Remove Timestamp
<mlc-code-block clipboard-data="SELECT CAST(DateTimeValue AS DATE) AS DateOnly FROM YourTable;" code-lang="sql">
SELECT CAST(DateTimeValue AS DATE) AS DateOnly FROM YourTable;
Using CONVERT Function to Remove Timestamp
<mlc-code-block clipboard-data="SELECT CONVERT(varchar, GETDATE(), 101) AS DateOnly;" code-lang="sql">
SELECT CONVERT(varchar, GETDATE(), 101) AS DateOnly;
Using FORMAT Function to Format Output
<mlc-code-block clipboard-data="-- Using FORMAT SELECT FORMAT(your_datetime_column, 'yyyy-MM-dd') AS formatted_date FROM your_table;" code-lang="sql">
-- Using FORMAT SELECT FORMAT(your_datetime_column, 'yyyy-MM-dd') AS formatted_date FROM your_table;
Displaying Only Date Part in Select Statement
<mlc-code-block clipboard-data="-- Using CAST SELECT CAST(your_datetime_column AS DATE) AS date_only FROM your_table;" code-lang="sql">
-- Using CAST SELECT CAST(your_datetime_column AS DATE) AS date_only FROM your_table;
Conclusion
In short, removing timestamp with the date using SQL query can be achieved through various methods like CAST, CONVERT, and DATEADD/DATEDIFF functions. Understanding these techniques is essential for effective date handling in SQL.