Convert timestamp to varchar

SQL Server 2000 sp3a
I need to convert a timestamp value to a varchar.

I need to build a string will look like this :

DECLARE @String varchar(8000)

SELECT @String = 'INSERT INTO Table2 SELECT * FROM Table1 WHERE timestamp >= ' + @TimeStampVal

EXEC (@String)

Since it is possible in Query Analyser to see the actual value
of a timestamp I figure it is possible to use it in a string one way or another.

It is impossible to do that though : CONVERT(varchar(50), @@DBTS)

Anyone have a clue on this one ?
Thanks

@@DBTS returns a varbinary value.

But, anyway, I cannot convert it to varchar. I'm puzzled.

--

Marek 'chopeen' Grzenkowicz

Rediscover the web
http://www.mozilla.org/firefox/

No, me neither, I can't convert a timestamp column to varchar. But I can convert it to datetime and I can select it directly. Even though BOL says an explicit convert to varchar for timestamp is meant to work...

So .. sorry.. I don't know.

Tom Pullen
DBA, Oxfam GB

I tried this solution :

select convert(varchar(255),convert(datetime,timestamp)) from exampletable

It doesn't work for me, I have this error :
Arithmetic overflow error converting expression to data type datetime.

Anything else ?