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date

date ( exprString : string ) : date
date ( exprDate : date ) : date

ParameterTypeDescription
exprStringstring->String representing the date to be returned
exprDatedate->Date expression
Resultdate<-Date expression

Description​

The date command evaluates exprString or exprDate and returns a date.

exprString​

The exprString must be formatted as follows: "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS", for example "2013-11-20T10:20:00". In this case, date evaluates the expression parameter correctly, regardless of the current settings. Decimal seconds, preceded by a period, are supported (e.g.: "2013-11-20T10:20:00.9854"). If the exprString format does not precisely fit this ISO format, the date is evaluated as a short date format based on the regional settings of the server.

note

When the exprString does not match the ISO format, the regional settings defined in the operating system for a short date are used for the evaluation. For example, in the US version, by default the date must be in the order MM/DD/YY (month, day, year). The month and day can be one or two digits. The year can be two or four digits. If the year is two digits, then date considers whether the date belongs to the 21st or 20th century based on the value entered. By default, the pivotal value is 30:

  • If the value is greater than or equal to 30, Qodly considers the century to be the 20th and adds 19 to the beginning of the value.
  • If the value is less than 30, Qodly considers the century to be the 21st and adds 20 to the beginning of the value.
  • If you pass an invalid date (such as "13/35/94" or "aa/12/94") in expression, date returns an empty date (00/00/00). It is your responsibility to verify that expression is a valid date.
  • If the expression evaluates to undefined, date returns an empty date (00/00/00). This is useful when you expect the result to be a date, even if it can be undefined (e.g. an object attribute).
exprDate​

If a date type exprDate is passed, date returns the date passed in the parameter 'as is'. This is particularly useful in the context of generic programming using object attributes.

Example 1​

The following examples show various cases:

 var vdDate, vdDate2, vdDate3, vdDate4, vdDate5 : date
 var vobj : object
 vdDate = date("12/25/94") //returns 12/25/94 on a US system
 vdDate2 = date("40/40/94") //00/00/00
 vdDate3 = date("It was the 6/30, we were in 2016") //06/30/16
 vobj = newObject("expDate","2020-11-17T00:00:00.0000")
 vdDate4 = date(vobj.expDate) //11/17/20

 vdDate5 = date(vobj.creationDate) //00/00/00

Example 2​

date evaluation based on a date in ISO format

 var vDate : date
 var vtDateISO : string
 vtDateISO = "2013-06-05T20:00:00"
 vDate = date(vtDateISO)
  //vDate represents June 5th, 2013 regardless of the system language

Example 3​

You want to get a date from an object attribute, whatever the current attribute date storage option:

 var vDate : date
 var myObj : object
 if(valueType(myObj.myDate) == Is date) //it's stored as date, no need to convert
    vDate = myObj.myDate
 else //it's stored as string
    vDate = date(myObj.myDate)
 end

See also​

bool
string