I think fractional seconds are supported withTIMESTAMP, but not with DATE datatype. You should use TO_TIMESTAMP instead. Useful docs: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14220/datatype.htm#i1847 Example: SQL> select to_timestamp('2010/10/27-07:33:04.229','YYYY/MM/DD-HH24:MI:SS.FF') as p_timestamp from dual; P_TIMESTAMP --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27-OCT-10 07.33.04.229000000 AM ~Mihajlo On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 2:02 PM, Sven Aluoor <aluoor@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi folks > > I wish to have all records where the "time_created" is lesser than > current date minus one hour. > > SELECT * > FROM trans > WHERE status = '0' > AND TO_DATE (time_created, 'YYYY/MM/DD-HH24:MI:SS.FF') < SYSDATE - 1 / > 24 > > time_created is a "VARCHAR2(23 Byte)" with the following contents: > > 2010/10/27-07:33:04.229 > 2010/10/27-07:33:03.135 > 2010/10/21-12:43:18.371 > > error: ORA-01821: date format not recognized > > cheers Sven > -- > //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l > > >