@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
<!--
$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/set.sgml,v 1.58 2002/02/26 15:59:08 tgl Exp $
$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/set.sgml,v 1.59 2002/04/21 19:02:39 thomas Exp $
PostgreSQL documentation
-->
@ -173,10 +173,13 @@ SET TIME ZONE { '<replaceable class="PARAMETER">timezone</replaceable>' | LOCAL
</member>
</simplelist>
</para>
<para>
The <option>DateStyle</option> option is really only intended
for porting applications. To format your date/time values to
choice, use the <function>to_char</function> family of
<command>SET DATESTYLE</command> affects interpretation of
input and provides several standard output formats. For
applications needing different variations or tighter control
over input or output, consider using
the <function>to_char</function> family of
functions.
</para>
</listitem>
@ -387,21 +390,25 @@ SELECT setseed(<replaceable>value</replaceable>);
<screen>
SET DATESTYLE TO PostgreSQL,European;
</screen>
</para>
Set the time zone for Berkeley, California, using double quotes to
<para>
Set the time zone for Berkeley, California, using quotes to
preserve the uppercase attributes of the time zone specifier (note
that the date/time format is ISO here):
that the date style is <literal>PostgreSQL</literal> for this
example):
<screen>
SET TIME ZONE 'PST8PDT';
SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP AS today;
today
------------------------
1998-03-31 07:41:21-08
------------------------------------
Tue Feb 26 07:32:21.42834 2002 PST
</screen>
</para>
Set the time zone for Italy (note the required single or double quotes to handle
<para>
Set the time zone for Italy (note the required single quotes to handle
the special characters):
<screen>
@ -424,10 +431,13 @@ SELECT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP AS today;
</title>
<para>
The second syntax shown above (<literal>SET TIME ZONE</literal>)
attempts to mimic <acronym>SQL92</acronym>. However, SQL allows
only numeric time zone offsets. All other parameter settings as
well as the first syntax shown above are a
<literal>SET TIME ZONE</literal>
extends syntax defined in
<acronym>SQL9x</acronym>. <acronym>SQL9x</acronym> allows
only numeric time zone offsets while
<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> allows full time zone
specifier strings as well. All other <literal>SET</literal>
features are a
<productname>PostgreSQL</productname> extension.
</para>
</refsect2>
Thomas G. Lockhart
24 years ago