</para>
<para>
If <literal>FX</literal> is specified, a separator in the template string
- matches exactly one character in input string. Notice we don't insist the
- input string character be the same as the template string separator.
+ matches exactly one character in the input string. But note that the
+ input string character is not required to be the same as the separator from the template string.
For example, <literal>to_timestamp('2000/JUN', 'FXYYYY MON')</literal>
works, but <literal>to_timestamp('2000/JUN', 'FXYYYY MON')</literal>
- returns an error because the second template string space is consumed
- by the letter <literal>J</literal> in the input string.
+ returns an error because the second space in the template string consumes
+ the letter <literal>J</literal> from the input string.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
A <literal>TZH</literal> template pattern can match a signed number.
- Without the <literal>FX</literal> option, it can lead to ambiguity in
- interpretation of the minus sign, which can also be interpreted as a separator.
+ Without the <literal>FX</literal> option, minus signs may be ambiguous,
+ and could be interpreted as a separator.
This ambiguity is resolved as follows: If the number of separators before
<literal>TZH</literal> in the template string is less than the number of
separators before the minus sign in the input string, the minus sign