Convert a string to a date

[Hector A]

Hi

I'm trying to convert a string that already looks like a date to a
date that I can use when I pass it from java to the database. I
receive the date in format yyyy-mm-dd and I need it to be a date
variable in 'mm/dd/yyyy' or 'm/dd/yyyy' format. My code is shown
below. Any suggestions?

code:
String sailYear = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(0,4);
String sailMonth = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(5,7);
String sailDay = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(8,10);
int monthCutter = Integer.parseIn t(sailMonth);
String newMonth = Integer.toStrin g(monthCutter);
String sailingDate =
newMonth.concat ("/").concat(sailD ay).concat("/").concat(sailY ear);
java.text.Simpl eDateFormat.get Instance().setL enient(true);
SimpleDateForma t sdf = new SimpleDateForma t("MM/dd/yyyy");
String str = sdf.format(sail ingDate);

Error:
java.lang.Illeg alArgumentExcep tion: Cannot format given Object as a
Date

Thanks!

[Jim McMaster]

SimpleDateForma t.format() takes an instance of Date, not an instance of
String. You need to create a Calendar instance, use its set() method to set
the date fields, then getTime() to get a Date instance. Then you can
format it.
--
Jim McMaster
mailto: ji**********@co mcast.net
"Hector A" <ha****@rccl.co m> wrote in message
news:69******** *************** ***@posting.goo gle.com...

Hi

I'm trying to convert a string that already looks like a date to a
date that I can use when I pass it from java to the database. I
receive the date in format yyyy-mm-dd and I need it to be a date
variable in 'mm/dd/yyyy' or 'm/dd/yyyy' format. My code is shown
below. Any suggestions?

code:
String sailYear = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(0,4);
String sailMonth = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(5,7);
String sailDay = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(8,10);
int monthCutter = Integer.parseIn t(sailMonth);
String newMonth = Integer.toStrin g(monthCutter);
String sailingDate =
newMonth.concat ("/").concat(sailD ay).concat("/").concat(sailY ear);
java.text.Simpl eDateFormat.get Instance().setL enient(true);
SimpleDateForma t sdf = new SimpleDateForma t("MM/dd/yyyy");
String str = sdf.format(sail ingDate);

Error:
java.lang.Illeg alArgumentExcep tion: Cannot format given Object as a
Date

Thanks!

[Raymond DeCampo]

Hector A wrote:

Hi

I'm trying to convert a string that already looks like a date to a
date that I can use when I pass it from java to the database. I
receive the date in format yyyy-mm-dd and I need it to be a date
variable in 'mm/dd/yyyy' or 'm/dd/yyyy' format. My code is shown
below. Any suggestions?
I have quite a few actually.

code:
String sailYear = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(0,4);
What type is "sail_date" ? I bet it is already a String in which case
the sail_date.toStr ing() is pointless.

String sailMonth = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(5,7);
String sailDay = (String)sail_da te.toString().s ubstring(8,10);
int monthCutter = Integer.parseIn t(sailMonth);
String newMonth = Integer.toStrin g(monthCutter);
Wow. That was amazing and entirely pointless. You parse an integer
into a String and then called toString on it.

String sailingDate =
newMonth.concat ("/").concat(sailD ay).concat("/").concat(sailY ear);
I've never actually seen anybody use String.concat() . Everybody I know
just uses "+".

BTW, aren't you done now? Don't you have what you wanted in sailingDate?
java.text.Simpl eDateFormat.get Instance().setL enient(true);
SimpleDateForma t sdf = new SimpleDateForma t("MM/dd/yyyy");
Note that the instance of SimpleDateForma t that you called setLenient()
on is different from the instance you have constructed. So the call to
setLenient() is pointless.
String str = sdf.format(sail ingDate);
I'm not certain what you expect to accomplish here. It seems you
already formatted the string the way you wanted it.

Error:
java.lang.Illeg alArgumentExcep tion: Cannot format given Object as a
Date

Thanks!

Sorry if my comments above seem rather harsh. I do not mean to demean
you. But, after all, you did invite comments. I hope mine will provide
constructive criticism.

HTH,
Ray