How to Check the Date Format of your Oracle Session

When working with functions that return dates, Oracle Database returns these dates based on the value of the NLS_DATE_FORMAT parameter.

There is also an NLS_TIMESTAMP_FORMAT parameter and an NLS_TIMESTAMP_TZ_FORMAT parameter, both of which have a datetime format mask that can be specified separately.

All of these parameters have their default values derived from the NLS_TERRITORY parameter (which by default, is operating system-dependent).

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How to Check the Values of the NLS Parameters in Oracle Database

In Oracle Database, the NLS (National Language Support) parameters determine the locale-specific behaviour on both the client and the server.

These parameters can be set in various places, such as at the database level, in an initialization parameter file, in environment variables, at the session level, and even within some functions.

You can check the value of the NLS parameters with the following views.

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Methods of Setting NLS Parameters and their Priorities (Oracle Database)

Oracle Database includes a bunch of NLS (National Language Support) parameters that determine the locale-specific behaviour on both the client and the server.

These NLS parameters can be set in various places, each of which has a predetermined precedence order in relation to the others. The following table outlines these methods, as well as their priority in relation to the others.

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How to Change the Language for your Oracle Session

In Oracle Database, the NLS_LANGUAGE initialization parameter specifies the default language of the database.

This language is used for messages, day and month names, symbols for AD, BC, a.m., and p.m., and the default sorting mechanism.

The NLS_LANGUAGE parameter also determines the default values of the NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE and NLS_SORT parameters.

This article outlines how to change the value of the NLS_LANGUAGE and NLS_DATE_LANGUAGE parameters.

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