Question

Right now, I know of 3 ways to return the time:

1. CONVERT(varchar, Date, 8)

2. CONVERT(varchar, Date, 108)

3. CONVERT(time, Date)

What is the difference between #1 and #2, since they return the same answer?

Why does #3 return something that looks different–is it still equivalent to #1/#2’s output?

Are there more ways?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Have a look at the MSDN page for convert. The format 8 is hh:mi:ss. If you add 100 to a format, it uses a four-digit year instead of a two digit year. Since format 8 is a time format, 8 and 108 have the same output.

The third option converts a datetime to a time. A time is not a string and has no format. It’s up to the client how it will be displayed, typically using your local computer’s Regional and Language Settings.