SQL server date error

Question

UPDATE tblCampaigns SET startDate = '4 December, 2010', endDate = '14 January, 2011' WHERE ID = 147
UPDATE tblCampaigns SET startDate = '24 December, 2010', endDate = '17 Febuary, 2011' WHERE parentID = 147 and campaignName = 'regerg'

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server error '80040e07' 

Syntax error converting datetime from character string. 

/bb/campaignManager/index.asp, line 147 

These work when the dates are 2010 but as soon as a 2011 is put in there it goes wrong, any ideas? It's probably in the wrong format right?

Answer 1

It's "February", not "Febuary"

Answer 2

I wouldn't ever do that: if the default date format in your database changes, then you're scuppered. Instead, always cast strings to dates explicitly, so you retain control:

UPDATE tblCampaigns SET startDate = convert(datetime, '20101204', 112)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa226054(v=SQL.80).aspx