Date Masks

The date mask feature is provided for flexibility in accommodating date formats. The system accepts a wide range of date masks.

With definition files that use a fixed-width data file, the system reads dates according to their length.

  • 6 digits is read as mmddyy (See MMDDYY or YYMMDD)
  • 8 digits is read as mmddyyyy (See MMDDYYYY, YYYYMMDD, or MM/DD/YY)
  • 10 digits is read as mm-dd-yyyy (See MM/DD/YYYY)

Note: If an invalid date is entered, the system date is used.

Use the following samples to determine how to enter a date mask in both definition and data files:

Data File Sample 

01-101-40001-101-101-1,040601,C,1000,March Training
01-101-11001,040601,D,1000,March Training

*.DEF File Sample 

SESSION_SESSIONDATE,2,,mmddyy

Data File Sample 

01-101-40001-101-101-1,010406,C,1000,March Training
01-101-11001,010406,D,1000,March Training

*.DEF File Sample 

SESSION_SESSIONDATE,2,,yymmdd

Data File Sample 

01-101-40001-101-101-1,04062001,C,1000,March Training
01-101-11001,04062001,D,1000,March Training

*.DEF File Sample 

SESSION_SESSIONDATE,2,,mmddyyyy

Data File Sample 

01-101-40001-101-101-1,20010406,C,1000,March Training
01-101-11001,20010406,D,1000,March Training

*.DEF File Sample 

SESSION_SESSIONDATE,2,,yyyymmdd

Data File Sample 

01-101-40001-101-101-1,04/06/01,C,1000,March Training
01-101-11001,04/06/01,D,1000,March Training

*.DEF File Sample 

SESSION_SESSIONDATE,2,,mm/dd/yy

Note: Hyphens (-) can be used in place of slashes (/).

Data File Sample 

01-101-40001-101-101-1,04/06/2001,C,1000,March Train
01-101-11001,04/06/2001,D,1000,March Train

*.DEF File Sample 

SESSION_SESSIONDATE,2,,mm/dd/yyyy