Date Format Error java.sql.SQLException: Invalid column type

Question

I am displaying date in JSF using pattern="dd-MMM-yyyy".

When I am trying to insert/update date values into my oracle DB, I am getting

java.sql.SQLException: Invalid column type

because my date format before insert or update is in this format

Wed Feb 09 00:00:00 AST 2011

How can I correctly insert or update my date values to Oracle Db and what is the best approach for doing this?

Update 1

My db insert code.

private void editSchedule(Schedule schedule)
        Object[] values = { schedule.getStartDate(),
                schedule.getVacationId() };             
        Connection connection = null;       
        PreparedStatement preparedStatement = null; 
        try {                           
            connection = datacon.getConnection();               
            preparedStatement = prepareStatement(connection, SQL_EDIT, values);         
            preparedStatement.executeUpdate();          

        } catch (Exception e) {
            logger.info("errro "+e.getMessage());
            e.printStackTrace();
        } finally {
            // TODO: handle exception
            close(connection, preparedStatement);
        }

    }

PreparedStaement code part

public static PreparedStatement prepareStatement
        (Connection connection, String sql, Object... values)
            throws SQLException
    {
        PreparedStatement preparedStatement = connection.prepareStatement(sql
            );
        setValues(preparedStatement, values);
        return preparedStatement;
    }

    public static void setValues(PreparedStatement preparedStatement, Object... values)
        throws SQLException
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < values.length; i++) {
            preparedStatement.setObject(i + 1, values[i]);
            logger.info("sql  "+Arrays.asList(values));
        }
    }

Answer 1

JDBC only understands java.sql.Date, java.sql.Time and java.sql.Timestamp as SQL column types, not java.util.Date.

You need to change

    Object[] values = { schedule.getStartDate(),
            schedule.getVacationId() };             

by

    Object[] values = { new java.sql.Date(schedule.getStartDate().getTime()),
            schedule.getVacationId() };             

Then it'll work. Just keep using java.util.Date in your model. JSF in turn doesn't understand java.sql.Date.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're trying to include the data as text when you're inserting/updating. Don't do that - use a java.sql.Date in a PreparedStatement. Introducing unnecessary string conversions is a really bad idea - it makes your code very brittle, and makes the code more confusijng: keep your data in an appropriate data type as long as you possibly can.