How to Convert Postgres Text Time with AM/PM to a Timestamp in PostgreSQL

Learn how to effectively convert a text date and time with `AM/PM` notation to a `timestamp` in PostgreSQL with clear examples and explanations.
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Converting Postgres Text Time with AM/PM to a Timestamp

When working with date and time in PostgreSQL, one common challenge developers face is converting string representations of time that include AM/PM into a proper timestamp. For instance, you may have a datetime entry formatted as 06/29/2022 1:24 pm, and you need to convert it to a more standardized timestamp format like 2022-06-29 13:32:00.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to do this conversion smoothly.

Understanding the Problem

You may have come across timestamps stored in a text format within your PostgreSQL database that include AM or PM markers. It can be tricky to transform these strings into proper timestamp values that PostgreSQL can work with, especially if you want them to be in a 24-hour format.

The standard way of representing a timestamp in PostgreSQL is as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

To convert a string date into this format, we can make use of PostgreSQL functions.

Solution: Using to_timestamp

PostgreSQL provides a convenient function called to_timestamp() which can handle this conversion. Let's dive into how you can utilize this function to transform your datetime string.

The Conversion Syntax

The basic syntax for the to_timestamp() function is:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The first argument is the text representation of the datetime.

The second argument is the format pattern that matches your text.

Example Conversion

To convert our example string 06/29/2022 1:24 pm to a PostgreSQL timestamp, you would use the following SQL query:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breaking Down the Format Pattern

MM: Two-digit month.

DD: Two-digit day.

YYYY: Four-digit year.

HH12: Hour in 12-hour format (1-12).

MI: Minutes.

AM: Indicates AM or PM.

Final Output

After running the above query, you will get the output as:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This shows that our string has been successfully converted into a proper timestamp in a 24-hour format.

Conclusion

Converting text representations of datetime with AM/PM to timestamps in PostgreSQL is straightforward with the to_timestamp() function. By specifying the correct format, you can easily transform and utilize your datetime data in a format suitable for various database operations.

Now you can efficiently manage and query time-related data in your PostgreSQL database without any hassle!

Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or need further assistance with PostgreSQL dates and times!