Hi,
You can use the DUMP() function to see how data is stored in a particular column. Example:
SQL> CREATE TABLE tab1 (dateval DATE, charval CHAR(10), varcharval VARCHAR2(10));
Table created.
SQL>
SQL> INSERT INTO tab1 VALUES (sysdate, 'qwerty', 'qwerty');
1 row created.
SQL>
SQL> SELECT dateval, DUMP(dateval),
2 charval, DUMP(charval),
3 varcharval, DUMP(varcharval)
4 FROM tab1;
DATEVAL DUMP(DATEVAL)
----------- --------------------------------------------------
CHARVAL DUMP(CHARVAL)
----------- --------------------------------------------------
VARCHARVAL DUMP(VARCHARVAL)
----------- --------------------------------------------------
23-NOV-2004 Typ=12 Len=7: 120,104,11,23,17,45,30
qwerty Typ=96 Len=10: 113,119,101,114,116,121,32,32,32,32
qwerty Typ=1 Len=6: 113,119,101,114,116,121
Best regards.
Frank