Question

Is there any equivalent stuff function in oracle? I used the stuff function in mssql to convert the raw datetime ( in string format) to proper datetime
MSSQL Query

select convert(datetime,
      '20'+substring(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(convert(varchar,'24051103084950') , 3,0,'-'), 6,0,'-'), 9,0,' '), 12,0,':'), 15,0,':'), 17,2,''),7,2)+'-' 
      +SUBSTRING(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(convert(varchar,'24051103084950'),3,0,'-'),   6,0,'-'),  9,0,' '), 12,0,':'), 15,0,':'), 17,2,''),4,2)+'-'
      +SUBSTRING (stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(convert(varchar,'24051103084950'), 3,0,'-'), 6,0,'-'), 9,0,' '), 12,0,':'), 15,0,':'), 17,2,''),1,2)
      + SUBSTRING(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff(stuff( convert(varchar,'24051103084950'),3,0,'-'),   6,0,'-'), 9,0,' '), 12,0,':'), 15,0,':'), 17,2,''),9,15))

In the above query ‘24051103084950’ is the raw data which is in ddmmyyhhmiss format. The output for the above query is as follows

(No column name)
2011-05-24 03:08:40.000

I need to convert the same query into oracle. Guide me to do it.

Answer 1

You could use the timestamp/string conversion functions to simplify this:

select to_char(
         to_timestamp('24051103084950', 'DDMMYYHH24MISSFF2'), 
         'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS.FF3') 
  from dual

N.B. FF2 is milliseconds to 2 places, FF3 is milliseconds to 3 places.