Re: how to handle date comparison

"COBOL400-L" <cobol400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote on 08/12/2016
01:00:03 PM:

----- Message from CRPence <crpbottle@xxxxxxxxx> on Thu, 11 Aug 2016
12:33:33 -0500 -----

To:

COBOL400-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject:

Re: [COBOL400-L] how to handle date comparison

On 11-Aug-2016 08:58 -0500, MichaelQuigley wrote:

It is really very simple and easy. Here's the code excerpts:

---------------------------------

Working-storage.
01 Today format date '@Y%m%d'.

Procedure Division.

move function current-date to Today.
if Cust-add-date = Today
. . .
. . .
. . .

---------------------------------

You have to specify the format date as YYYYMMDD (using the
'@Y%m%d' format string) because that's how the current-date function
will provide it. Once you have the data in a true date field, the
compiler handles the comparison for you. Internally the dates are
stored as a Scaliger or Julian day number. That's an integer using a
system Joseph Scaliger formalized counting the days since an epoch.
The system converts the dates for you anytime you need to see the
value.

Yes, but …

Yes simply stated, specify CVTOPT(*DATETIME *DATE) and use the simple code
excerpt shown above. Date comparisons aren't hard to do. The OP stated,
"Surely there must be an easier way to write something...." My code with
the proper CVTOPT will do exactly that.

Michael Quigley
Computer Services
The Way International
www.TheWay.org