# Cannot change date/time displayed format - SQL Navigator 6.5.0.2090 **URL:** \ **Category:** SQL Navigator\ **Created:** [September 5, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/cannot-change-date-time-displayed-format-sql-navigator-6-5-0-2090/4648 "2012-09-05T11:06:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aarnold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@aarnold](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/aarnold)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/cannot-change-date-time-displayed-format-sql-navigator-6-5-0-2090/4648/1 "2012-09-05T11:06:06Z")
I am on SQL Navigator version 6.5.0.2090. On View/Preferences/User Interface, I have the following settings: Date Displayed Format = “09/05/2012 (MM/DD/RRRR)” Time Displayed Format = “10:29:35 am (HH12:MI:SS PM)” Display Time in DATE fields = “Always” However, when I query any table with a date field, it returns “DD-MM-YY” format in the data grid. I have played around with different date/time displayed formats, and regardless of what I set them to, my data is still displayed as “DD-MM-YY”. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![roman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/roman/32/65_2.png) [@roman](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/roman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/cannot-change-date-time-displayed-format-sql-navigator-6-5-0-2090/4648/2 "2012-09-05T19:11:04Z")
Hi Angie, There is another preference under General \> Session, called Default date format; it looks like it’s been changed to DD-MM-YY. You can reset it to or explicitly to MM/DD/RRRR and will get the desired result. Hope this helps, Roman PS. You can also make sure that the preference Code Editor \> SQL Scripts \> Retrieve all fields as strings is NOT checked. This will allow you to sort columns in the data grid according to their data type. Message was edited by: roman ---
**Author:** ![aarnold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@aarnold](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/aarnold)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 9:18am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/cannot-change-date-time-displayed-format-sql-navigator-6-5-0-2090/4648/3 "2012-09-06T09:18:05Z")
Hi Roman, I had the General/Session/Default date format = . I tried changing it to other date formats and the dates still display as DD-MM-YY regardless. I also tried restarting the application after changing the settings. It is as if the application is not pointing to the preference file that I am updating. Anyone know where I can find the preference file that the app is using? Thanks, Angie ---
**Author:** ![roman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/roman/32/65_2.png) [@roman](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/roman)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/cannot-change-date-time-displayed-format-sql-navigator-6-5-0-2090/4648/4 "2012-09-06T19:21:45Z")
Hi Angie, Preferences in SQL Navigator are stored in the system registry, not in a file. In most cases, the change in preferences is applied immediately, sometimes - after opening a new session or a new editor window, etc. If you restart, they will be applied for sure. I think there’s something else that changes your date format setting. For example, it can be a startup script. In any case, if you disable the other setting I mentioned (Retrieve all fields as strings), you should get dates displayed in your UI setting and not in the NLS date format set on the Oracle server. Regards, Roman ---
**Author:** ![aarnold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@aarnold](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/aarnold)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/cannot-change-date-time-displayed-format-sql-navigator-6-5-0-2090/4648/5 "2012-09-07T13:43:36Z")
Disabling “Retrieve all result fields as strings” in Preferences/Code Editor/SQL Scripts fixed the issue! Thank you Roman! Angie