Today we will uncover the secrets to success using dates in SQL, secrets not at all difficult to understand, once you've seen them. In a way, they're like magic tricks. If you know how the tricks are done, they're not really magic, although they may still be delightful.
This article contains explanations, tips, and examples for several different database systems, but makes no attempt to be exhaustive. There's just not enough space or time. My intent is to give you the confidence to deal with your own date situations, by helping you understand how they all work.
Rudy Limeback is an independent consultant with over 20 years of SQL experience using DB2, SQL Server, Access, Oracle, and MySQL. Rudy is also a Web developer, Technical Editor at Digital Web, one of the original evolt.org admins, with his own Web site since 1996. More information at r937.com. Rudy lives in Toronto, Canada, where the weather allows you to play frisbee golf all year long.