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CTOD()
Convert a date string to a date value
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Syntax
CTOD(<cDate>) --> dDate
Arguments
<cDate> is a character string consisting of numbers representing the
month, day, and year separated by any character other than a number.
The month, day, and year digits must be specified in accordance with the
SET DATE format. If the century digits are not specified, the century
is determined by the rules of SET EPOCH.
Returns
CTOD() returns a date value. If <cDate> is not a valid date, CTOD()
returns an empty date.
Description
CTOD() is a character conversion function that converts a character
string to a date. To initialize an empty date for date entry, specify
<cDate> as a null string (""), SPACE(8), or " / / ".
CTOD() is used whenever you need a literal date value. Some examples
are:
. Initializing a variable to a date value
. Specifying a literal date string as an argument of a RANGE
clause of @...GET
. Specifying a literal date string in order to perform date
arithmetic
. Comparing the result of a date expression to a literal date
string
. REPLACEing a date field with a literal date string
CTOD() is the inverse of DTOC() which converts a date value to a
character string in the format specified by SET DATE and SET CENTURY.
DTOS() also converts a date value to a character string in the form
yyyymmdd.
Examples
. This example uses CTOD() to initialize two date variables,
using one as a GET and the other for RANGE validation:
SET CENTURY ON
dBegin := CTOD("01-26-1876")
dCurrent := CTOD("")
@ 10, 10 SAY "Enter date:" GET dCurrent ;
RANGE dBegin, DATE()
READ
. This example uses CTOD() to create a date value within a FOR
condition:
USE Inventory NEW
REPLACE ALL Inventory->Price WITH ;
Inventory->Price * 1.1 FOR ;
Inventory->InvDate < CTOD("10/10/90")
Files Library is CLIPPER.LIB.
See Also:
DATE()
DTOC()
DTOS()
SET CENTURY
SET DATE
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