Re: "Bad date external representation" - solved

on 6/18/03 7:37 PM, Lynna Landstreet at lynna(at)gallery44(dot)org wrote:

> I just got the following error when attempting to use the \copy command in
> psql to import data from a text file into a PostgreSQL table:
>
> ERROR: copy: line 1, Bad date external representation '9/19/2002'
>
> I tried setting the datestyle to SQL and US using "set datestyle", but it
> didn't help. Anyone have any idea what the problem might be?

Well... turns out my initial intuition was half correct, anyway. It *was* a
US vs European datestyle issue! When I reversed the month and day, it worked
fine. What I can't figure out is why saying SET DATESTYLE TO 'US'; in psql
didn't work. That was the *first* thing I tried!

Oh well. At least I know how to fix the problem - I just have to change the
date formats before exporting the records. The fact that I now feel like a
complete moron for not trying reversing the month and day much sooner is
beside the point, really... :-/

Lynna
--
Resource Centre Database Coordinator
Gallery 44
www.gallery44.org