How to Add the Meridiem Indicator (AM/PM) to a Time Value in Oracle

When using the TO_CHAR() function to format a datetime value in Oracle Database, you can add the meridiem indicator (AM/PM) by simply adding either AM or PM to your format model.

Oracle then displays the appropriate meridiem indicator, depending on whether the time value is AM or PM.

You can provide it in any uppercase or lowercase, and with or without dots (e.g. AM, A.M. am, a.m, etc). Oracle will then display the meridiem indicator as specified.

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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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