SQL Server Denali Feature Watch - FORMAT(), as in, "OMG we finally get .Net like Number/Date/Time formatting in our TSQL" Or "Saying goodbye to my old friend, Convert(103)..."

Sql&Me - SQL Server – "Denali" – String Formatting using FORMAT()

"SQL Server "Denali" introduces a new function FORMAT() for formatting of DATETIME and numeric values. In Earlier versions we did date and time conversions using CAST and CONVERT as below:

DECLARE @d DATETIME = GETDATE()

SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR, @d, 103) AS 'dd/MM/yyyy',
CONVERT(VARCHAR, @d, 104) AS 'dd.MM.yyyy',

...

FORMAT() uses .NET Framework format string. It can be used as below:

DECLARE @d DATETIME = GETDATE()

SELECT FORMAT ( @d, 'dd/MM/yyyy') AS 'dd/MM/yyyy',
FORMAT ( @d, 'dd.MM.yyy') AS 'dd.MM.yy',
FORMAT ( @d, 'dd/MMM/yyy') AS 'dd/MMM/yy',
FORMAT ( @d, 'MMM dd, yy') AS 'MMM dd, yy'

...

..."

For some, this feature alone might be worth upgrading. I mean, ZOMG, "real" Date/Time/Number formatting! And best of all, it's the CLR based formatting style too.

For more information, here's the current doc's, http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh213505(v=SQL.110).aspx

(via SQLServerPedia - SQL Server – "Denali" – String Formatting using FORMAT())

 

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