Datetime assignments

A value assigned to a DATE column, a DATE variable, or a DATE parameter must be a date or a valid string representation of a date. A date can be assigned only to a DATE column, a string column, a DATE variable, or a string variable. A value assigned to a TIME column, a TIME variable, or a TIME parameter must be a time or a valid string representation of a time. A time can be assigned only to a TIME column, a string column, a TIME variable, or a string variable. A value assigned to a TIMESTAMP column, a TIMESTAMP variable, or a TIMESTAMP parameter must be a timestamp or a valid string representation of a timestamp. A timestamp can be assigned only to a TIMESTAMP column, a string column, a TIMESTAMP variable, or a string variable.

When a datetime value is assigned to a string variable or column, it is converted to its string representation. Leading zeros are not omitted from any part of the date, time, or timestamp. The required length of the target varies depending on the format of the string representation. If the length of the target is greater than required, it is padded on the right with blanks. If the length of the target is less than required, the result depends on the type of datetime value involved and on the type of target.

If the target is a string column, truncation is not allowed. The following rules apply:
DATE
- The length attribute of the column must be at least 10 if the date format is *ISO, USA, *EUR, or *JIS. If the date format is *YMD, *MDY, or *DMY, the length attribute of the column must be at least 8. If the date format is *JUL, the length of the variable must be at least 6.
TIME
- The length attribute of the column must be at least 8.
TIMESTAMP
- The length attribute of the column must be at least 26.
When the target is a variable, the following rules apply:
DATE
- The length of the variable must be at least 10 if the date format is *ISO, *USA, *EUR, or *JIS. If the date format is *YMD, *MDY, or *DMY, the length of the variable must be at least 8. If the date format is *JUL, the length of the variable must be at least 6.
TIME
- If the *USA format is used, the length of the variable must not be less than 8. This format does not include seconds.
- If the *ISO, *EUR, *JIS, or *HMS time format is used, the length of the variable must not be less than 5. If the length is 5, 6, or 7, the seconds part of the time is omitted from the result, and SQLWARN1 is set to 'W'. In this case, the seconds part of the time is assigned to the indicator variable if one is provided, and, if the length is 6 or 7, blank padding occurs so that the value is a valid string representation of a time.
TIMESTAMP
- The length of the variable must not be less than 19. If the length is between 19 and 25, the timestamp is truncated like a string, causing the omission of one or more digits of the microsecond part. If the length is 20, the trailing decimal point is replaced by a blank so that the value is a valid string representation of a timestamp.