using multiple dates in the IN clause of a sql statement - sql

Question

I have function which returns a list of comma seperated dates(e.g. 'Dec 24, 2011','Dec 26, 2011','Dec 18, 2011','Dec 27, 2011'.
I am receiving this as a single string.
I want to use this string to build a select query where I want to use the string in the IN clause.
e.g.
select *
from wfdisplaymgmt
where programstartdate IN(TO_DATE('Dec 26, 2011','MON dd, yyyy'))
Since I am getting a multiple dates I would like to use all the dates in my statement.how can I write the sql query which inlcudes multiple dates.Please help.
Update:
One more thing is I have window with a textbox and a button on clicking the button a sql query is executed.The query returns a distinct number of column values which has an option of selecting each of those values.when the user selects the required values ,the values are copied to the text box(e.g.'Dec 24, 2011','Dec 26, 2011','Dec 18, 2011','Dec 27, 2011' if I have selected four dates).Now the String I want to use this string in a sql statement where I select all the columns of the table based on the selected dates found in the string i.e.values found in the text box.
'Mon DD,YYYY' is the date format returned in the string.
I want a query similar to
select *
from wfdisplaymgmt
where programstartdate IN(the date values coming from the text box)
how do I do this?

Answer 1

Change your PLSQL function to return a user-defined data type TABLE OF DATE (or TIMESTAMP) and use IN to match values.
Note you will probably need to TRUNC the date values in order to match them. Noon != Midnight!
The following code illustrates the approach.
WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT FAIL ROLLBACK
set echo on
COLUMN programstartdate FORMAT A45
column column_value format a45
set serveroutput on
<<REINITIALIZE>>
BEGIN
FOR DOIT IN (SELECT 'DROP TABLE ' || TABLE_NAME AS CMD FROM USER_TABLES WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'WFDISPLAYMGMT')
LOOP
EXECUTE IMMEDIATE DOIT.CMD;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE ('Dropped test table via command: ' || doit.CMD);
end loop;
dbms_random.seed('This doesn''t quite feel random until I add the microseconds ' || to_char (systimestamp, 'D FF9'));
END REINITIALIZE;
/
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE DATELIST AS TABLE OF date;
/
show errors type datelist
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION GETDATES (HOWMANY IN NUMBER) RETURN DATELIST
IS
TO_RETURN DATELIST := datelist();
BEGIN
for stepback in 1 .. howmany
loop
to_return.extend();
TO_RETURN(stepback) := trunc(sysdate - stepback);
end loop;
RETURN TO_RETURN;
END GETDATES;
/
show errors function getdates;
select * from table(cast (getdates (7) as datelist));
create table WFDISPLAYMGMT
as
select
TRUNC(dbms_random.value (50, 10000)) as bogus_id,
column_value as programstartdate
from (select rownum as row_no, column_value from table(cast (getdates (30) as datelist)))
where abs (mod (row_no, 3)) = 1
;
commit;
select count (*) as generated_rows from WFDISPLAYMGMT;
select *
from WFDISPLAYMGMT
where programstartdate in (select * from table (cast (getdates (15) as datelist)));

Answer 2

Here's a slightly convoluted way to do this in SQL only. The below is a sample you can run immediately in your instance to check it out:
select to_date(replace(VAL, '''', ''), 'Mon dd, yyyy') as NEWDATE
from (with TST1 as
(select length(DTXT) - length(translate(DTXT, REPLVAL || VALSEP, REPLVAL)) + 1 as NUMVAL
,VALSEP
,DTXT || VALSEP as DTXT
from (select replace('''Dec 24, 2011'',''Dec 26, 2011'',''Dec 18, 2011'',''Dec 27, 2011'''
,''','''
,'''|''')
as DTXT
,'|' as VALSEP
,chr(0) as REPLVAL
from dual))
select substr(TST1.DTXT
,decode(rownum, 1, 1, instr(TST1.DTXT, VALSEP, 1, rownum - 1) + length(VALSEP))
, instr(TST1.DTXT, VALSEP, 1, rownum)
- decode(rownum, 1, 0, instr(TST1.DTXT, VALSEP, 1, rownum - 1))
- 1)
as VAL
from TST1
connect by level <= TST1.NUMVAL)
What it does is take your comma-separated dates and converts them into individual records that can then be cast to date type. In your scenario you can replace the sub-query that selects from dual with your function, e.g.:
select *
from wfdisplaymgmt
where programstartdate IN (
select to_date(replace(VAL, '''', ''), 'Mon dd, yyyy') as NEWDATE
...
select replace(myfunctioncall()
,''','''
,'''|''')
as DTXT
,'|' as VALSEP
,chr(0) as REPLVAL
from dual
...
What I've done here is replace the comma separators with pipe separators as you have a comma appearing in the date format. Also, I have appended the pipe separator to the end of the text so that the last value is included. If you need further details on what each bit does then add a comment.

Answer 3

you can use the EXECUTE() function to execute a string as a sql statement, that would work, or else you just can split the string of dates up into a table variable and then use in on the table variable. Both work, I think the table variable is probably a better solution.

Answer 4

Assuming oracle and I'm rusty at best for that techology
select *
from wfdisplaymgmt
where instr(your_function_that_delivers_dates()
, TO_CHAR(programstartdate,'MON DD, YYYY')) > 0
Don't expect blasting performance on large tables because the queryplan is not going to use any index, instead it will do a full-table scan
Based on info found here

Answer 5

Consider creating a new function (or replacing the old) that returns you a table (array) of data instead of a csv list in single string. It will be much easier to actually use the function in a meaningful way:
-- Create types
CREATE TYPE t_tf_row AS OBJECT (
id NUMBER,
dte date
);
/
CREATE TYPE t_tf_tab IS TABLE OF t_tf_row;
/
-- Build the table function itself.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION get_tab_tf (p_rows IN NUMBER) RETURN t_tf_tab AS
l_tab t_tf_tab := t_tf_tab();
l_dte date;
BEGIN
-- create rows
FOR i IN 1 .. p_rows LOOP
l_dte := sysdate - i;
l_tab.extend;
l_tab(l_tab.last) := t_tf_row(i, l_dte);
END LOOP;
RETURN l_tab;
END;
/
-- test new function, selecting 20 dates
select * from MY_TABLE
where MY_DATE in (select dte from table(get_tab_tf(20)));
Of course, in your version of the function create the dates the way you need them. Also note that you could do a pipelined version as well, but I assume the list of dates is reasonable in length.