Informix is old-school, as evident in how we perform SQL updates on a date column. If I had my way, Java applications that use it should start (Ahora Mismo!) moving to other RDBMSs that are modern, robust, scalable, and cheaper instead of reusing a fossil. This is just one among many ways to escape vendor lock-in. I bet slowly but surely.
An Unusual SQL Update in Informix
To perform an SQL Update on a Date column in Informix through some other SQL Editor like Aqua Studio, do something like this:
1 2 | UPDATE A_TABLE SET DATE_FIELD_A = EXTEND(DMY(28,11,2013), YEAR to SECOND) WHERE COUNTRY = 'Singapore' AND ID = 'ABCDEF12345' |
You may not be able to perform the “normal” update of a date using your preferred editor or older libraries.
Informix Lives On
Although I rant about this unusual SQL update (plus other weird stuff) in Informix, no doubt IBM has modernized it and kept it up-to-date. Moreover, Informix is still one of the most reliable database platforms we can use.
