How to Correctly Use the 'Date' Datatype and Retrieve Dates Before a Specific Date in SQL Server?

Using "Date" Datatype in SQL Server

In your code snippet, you encounter an error when creating a column with the "Date" datatype in a table. The question also asks how to retrieve dates that are before a specified date, in this case "2 of August".

Creating a "Date" Column

The syntax you used to create the "Order_date" column is incorrect. The correct syntax should be:

Order_date DATE

Additionally, ensure that your system's culture settings match the date format you are using. For instance, if your system is set to use the MM-DD-YYYY format, then your date values should be entered in that format.

Retrieving Dates Before a Specified Date

To retrieve dates that are before a specified date, such as "2 of August", you can use the DATEADD() function. For example, the following query will return all orders where the "Order_date" is before "02-08-2015":

SELECT * FROM Orders
WHERE Order_date < DATEADD(DAY, -1, '02-08-2015')

Additional Considerations

When working with dates in SQL Server, consider the following:

• Dates are stored as a combination of the Gregorian calendar date and a time. However, the time portion is always midnight.
• When entering date literals, use a culture-independent format, such as YYYY-MM-DD (0001-01-01 to 9999-12-31), to avoid ambiguity.
• Be aware of the regional settings of your database and client applications when working with dates.
• Use DATEADD(), DATEDIFF(), and other date-related functions to perform calculations and comparisons on dates.

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