A data type phrase (data_type_declaration) determines the type of data to store in a column of a table on Teradata Database. When you create a table, you must specify a data type phrase for each column. A column does not have a default data type.
You can also use data type phrases to specify data conversions, casts in expressions, parameter types, and so forth.
The following table shows typical data type phrases you can use to define various data types.
| Data Type | ANSI SQL | Teradata Extension to ANSI SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Array | ||
| ARRAY/VARRAY | X | |
| Byte | ||
| BLOB[(n)] | X | |
| BYTE[(n)] | X | |
| VARBYTE[(n)] | X | |
| Numeric | ||
| BIGINT | X | |
| BYTEINT | X | |
| DATE a | X | |
| DECIMAL [(n[,m])] | X | |
| DOUBLE PRECISION | X | |
| FLOAT | X | |
| INTEGER | X | |
| NUMBER(n[,m]) | X | |
| NUMBER[(*[,m])] | X | |
| NUMERIC [(n[,m])] | X | |
| REAL | X | |
| SMALLINT | X | |
| DateTime | ||
| DATE | X | |
| TIME [(n)] | X | |
| TIMESTAMP [(n)] | X | |
| Interval | ||
| INTERVAL | X | |
| INTERVAL DAY [(n)] | X | |
| INTERVAL DAY [(n)] TO HOUR | X | |
| INTERVAL DAY [(n)] TO MINUTE | X | |
| INTERVAL DAY [(n)] TO SECOND | X | |
| INTERVAL HOUR [(n)] | X | |
| INTERVAL HOUR [(n)] TO MINUTE | X | |
| INTERVAL HOUR [(n)] TO SECOND | X | |
| INTERVAL MINUTE [(n)] | X | |
| INTERVAL MINUTE [(n)] TO SECOND [(m)] | X | |
| INTERVAL MONTH | X | |
| INTERVAL SECOND [(n,[m])] | X | |
| INTERVAL YEAR [(n)] | X | |
| INTERVAL YEAR [(n)] TO MONTH | X | |
| Character | ||
| CHAR[(n)] | X | |
| CHARACTER(n) CHARACTER SET GRAPHIC | X | |
| CLOB | X | |
| CHAR VARYING(n) | X | |
| LONG VARCHAR | X | |
| LONG VARCHAR CHARACTER SET GRAPHIC | X | |
| VARCHAR(n) | X | |
| VARCHAR(n) CHARACTER SET GRAPHIC | X | |
| Period | ||
| PERIOD(DATE) | X | |
| PERIOD(TIME [(n)]) | X | |
| PERIOD(TIMESTAMP [(n)]) | X | |
| UDT | ||
| udt_name | X | |
| Parameter Types | ||
| TD_ANYTYPE | X | |
| VARIANT_TYPE | X | |
- DATE is supported both in its Teradata form and in the preferred ANSI DateTime form. For new development, define DATE using ANSI DATE type.
- The CREATE TYPE statement determines the name of a UDT.
For details on the different level of ANSI compliance, see Teradata Vantage™ - SQL Fundamentals, B035-1141