How to compare dates in datetime fields in Postgresql?

228
votes

I have been facing a strange scenario when comparing dates in postgresql(version 9.2.4 in windows).
I have a column in my table say update_date with type 'timestamp without timezone'.
Client can search over this field with only date (i.e: 2013-05-03) or date with time (i.e: 2013-05-03 12:20:00).
This column has the value as timestamp for all rows currently and have the same date part(2013-05-03) but difference in time part.

When I'm comparing over this column, I'm getting different results. Like the followings:

select * from table where update_date >= '2013-05-03' AND update_date <= '2013-05-03' -> No results

select * from table where update_date >= '2013-05-03' AND update_date < '2013-05-03' -> No results

select * from table where update_date >= '2013-05-03' AND update_date <= '2013-05-04' -> results found

select * from table where update_date >= '2013-05-03' -> results found

My question is how can I make the first query possible to get results, I mean why the 3rd query is working but not the first one?

4
sqldatabasepostgresqldate

4 Answers

363
votes

@Nicolai is correct about casting and why the condition is false for any data. i guess you prefer the first form because you want to avoid date manipulation on the input string, correct? you don't need to be afraid:

SELECT *
FROM table
WHERE update_date >= '2013-05-03'::date
AND update_date < ('2013-05-03'::date + '1 day'::interval);
54
votes

When you compare update_date >= '2013-05-03' postgres casts values to the same type to compare values. So your '2013-05-03' was casted to '2013-05-03 00:00:00'.

So for update_date = '2013-05-03 14:45:00' your expression will be that:

'2013-05-03 14:45:00' >= '2013-05-03 00:00:00' AND '2013-05-03 14:45:00' <= '2013-05-03 00:00:00'

This is always false

To solve this problem cast update_date to date:

select * from table where update_date::date >= '2013-05-03' AND update_date::date <= '2013-05-03' -> Will return result
13
votes

Use the range type. If the user enter a date:

select *
from table
where
    update_date
    <@
    tsrange('2013-05-03', '2013-05-03'::date + 1, '[)');

If the user enters timestamps then you don't need the ::date + 1 part

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/rangetypes.html

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/functions-range.html

4
votes

Use Date convert to compare with date: Try This:

select * from table 
where TO_DATE(to_char(timespanColumn,'YYYY-MM-DD'),'YYYY-MM-DD') = to_timestamp('2018-03-26', 'YYYY-MM-DD')