RE: Using CL, how do I get the month from a data date field?

If you do a DSPPFM on the file, how is the date displayed? That's the
format you need to use.

True, the date is stored as a 4-byte binary, but under the covers, the
operating system always formats it for you; you can't see the binary
values - not even with DSPPFM.

Francis Lapeyre
IS Dept. Programmer/Analyst
Stewart Enterprises, Inc.
E-mail: flapeyre@xxxxxxxx 


-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Booth Martin
Sent: Monday, February 5, 2007 2:06 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Using CL, how do I get the month from a data date field?

This is what I don't understand.  A date field has no "format"  Its just

a 4-character binary field so far as I know.  So how can I specify it's 
format?  Also, as I read the CHGVAR documentation there is no mention 
that I can find of date fields.  I can make the program work by forcing 
values, but I do not know why it is working, so I am worried about 
possible gotcha's down the road.

Nick_Radich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Hi Booth,

No, CHGVAR changes "any" variable that you specify to "any" value that

you 

specify.  It does not know, nor care, if it is a date.  That is why

you 

should specify the date format of the date you are trying to change,

to 

the command CVTDAT.

Once CVTDAT knows what the incoming date format is, it will send you

back 

the date in the format that you specify.  You can then use %SUBSTRING

to 

get the values that you need.



HTH,

Nick