DsDate - Date function

Description of the author:

"dsDate provides enhancements to all switches of the DATE() function provided by REXX/2, and also provides additional date switches.

The dsDate function emulates ALL of the switches of the native REXX/2 DATE() function. dsDate() solves the following anamolies of the REXX/2 native function:

• DATE() only returns data concerning the current system date. dsDate() allows you to specify ANY date and obtain the same information using the same optional parameters used by DATE(). If you do not provide a date, then (by default) dsDate() will act on the current system date. See examples.

• DATE() will generate a runtime error if you attempt to use either the 'C' or 'J' switches in native OS/2. Personal Rexx must be available in order for these switches to function. dsDate() solves this problem. You may use either switch at will.

Other switches provided by dsDate() and not native to REXX/2 are:

• dsDate()'s 'T' switch will return a full text string representation of the supplied date; eg. "January 15, 1979".

• DATE() has no native support to validate a date. dsDate() provides the 'V' option to validate a date. This is very useful with data entry applications to ensure data integrity of dates entered by application users.

• DATE() has no abilities to increment or compare dates. dsDate() provides the 'I' (increment) option to add/subtract to/from a desired date. eg. Obtain the date of the day 15 days ago or project a date 15 days in the future.

• dsDate() provides the 'P'(Passed) switch to calculate the number of days between any two provided dates. eg. Return the # of days passed between DateParam1 and Dateparam2.

• dsDate() provides the 'Q' (Quarter) switch to calculate the quarter of the calendar year for the given date. Returns integer (1-4).

• dsDate() can return a Gregorian date in US format from a Julian date using the 'G' (Gregorian) switch. This is the counterpart to the 'J' switch of both DATE() and dsDate().

• dsDate() can return an integer representing the week day of any given date using its 'Y' (daY) switch. Unlike the 'W' switch which returns a text label, the 'Y' switch will produce a numeric suitable for calculations.