If you are new to free-format RPG and deal with any kind of character or numeric

date data, you have no doubt been frustrated trying to figure out how to convert data
from one format to another. Or perhaps you are using date data types in newer
databases and are still dealing with legacy date data types in some other format. Or
even yet, maybe you would like to be able to use some of the cool date bifs such as
%years or %months %DAYS, %DIFF and so on.. date data types. Whatever the reason, I
was tired of trying to remember how to convert dates.

Below is a program with 72 examples of date data conversions from many different
formats and data types. Feel free to print and keep as a 'crib-sheet' or load and
compile on your system and you can use to debug or add you own that may not be
listed.

Two notes:
Your region my use different separators...in the example listed, I use the American
standard slash ('/') for all date separators, not the ‘-‘ Hyphen.
Some of the functions listed will only work properly on OS/400 V5R2 and higher. Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Page: 1
Main D-SPECS EN-These fields are used in the Coded examples below:
H option(*nodebugio)
D @charA S 8 inz('04/12/01')
D @charB S 10 inz('12/02/2004')
D @charC S 8 inz('12/03/04')

D @dateA S d inz(D'2004-12-04')

D @numA S 6 0 inz(041205)
D @numB S 7 0 inz(1041206) DPS PRIMARY DATE FORMAT.
D @numC S 8 0 inz(20041207)
D @numD S 6 0 inz(120804)
D @numE S 8 0 inz(12092004)

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/free

// character to character... conversion

@charB = %char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*usa/); // 'yy/mm/dd' to 'mm/dd/ccyy'

@charC = %char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*mdy/); // 'yy/mm/dd' to 'mm/dd/yy'
@charA = %char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*ymd/); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to 'yy/mm/dd'
@charC = %char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*mdy/); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to 'mm/dd/yy'
@charA = %char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*ymd/); // 'mm/dd/yy' to 'yy/mm/dd'
@charB = %char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*usa/); // 'mm/dd/yy' to 'mm/dd/ccyy'

// character to date... conversion

@dateA = %date(@charA:*ymd/); // 'yy/mm/dd' to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@charB:*usa/); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@charC:*mdy/); // 'mm/dd/yy' to D'ccyy-mm-dd'

// character to numeric... conversion

@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*ymd0):6:0); // 'yy/mm/dd' to yymmdd
@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*cymd0):7:0); // 'yy/mm/dd' to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*iso0):7:0); // 'yy/mm/dd' to ccyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*mdy0):7:0); // 'yy/mm/dd' to mmddyy
@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@charA:*ymd/):*usa0):7:0); // 'yy/mm/dd' to mmddyyyy
@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*ymd0):6:0); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to yymmdd
@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*cymd0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*iso0):8:0); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to ccyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*mdy0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to mmddyy
@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@charB:*usa/):*usa0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/ccyy' to mmddyyyy
@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*ymd0):6:0); // 'mm/dd/yy' to yymmdd
@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*cymd0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/yy' to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*iso0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/yy' to ccyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*mdy0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/yy' to mmddyy
@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@charC:*mdy/):*usa0):7:0); // 'mm/dd/yy' to mmddyyyy

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 // date to character... conversion

@charA = %char(@dateA:*ymd/); // D'ccyy-mm-dd' to 'yy/mm/dd'

@charB = %char(@dateA:*usa/); // D'ccyy-mm-dd' to 'mm/dd/ccyy' -> *USA
@charC = %char(@dateA:*mdy/); // D'ccyy-mm-dd' to 'mm/dd/yy' -> *MDY

// date to numeric... conversion

@numA = %dec(%char(@dateA:*ymd/) :6:0); //iso D'ccyy-mm-dd' to yymmdd
@numB = %dec(%char(@dateA:*cymd/):7:0); // = iso D'ccyy-mm-dd' to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(@dateA:*iso-) :8:0); //iso D'ccyy-mm-dd' to ccyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(@dateA:*mdy/) :6:0); //iso D'ccyy-mm-dd' to mmddyy
@numE = %dec(%char(@dateA:*usa/) :8:0); //iso D'ccyy-mm-dd' to mmddccyy

// numeric to character... conversion

@charA = %char(%date(@numA:*ymd):*ymd/); // yymmdd to 'yy/mm/dd'
@charB = %char(%date(@numA:*ymd):*usa/); // yymmdd to 'mm/dd/ccyy'

@charC = %char(%date(@numA:*ymd) :*mdy/); // yymmdd to 'mm/dd/yy'

@charA = %char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*ymd/); // cyymmdd to 'yy/mm/dd'
@charB = %char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*usa/); // cyymmdd to 'mm/dd/ccyy'
@charC = %char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*mdy/); // cyymmdd to 'mm/dd/yy'

@charA = %char(%date(@numC:*iso) :*ymd/); // D'ccyy-mm-dd' to 'yy/mm/dd'

@charB = %char(%date(@numC:*iso) :*usa/); // D'ccyy-mm-dd' to 'mm/dd/ccyy'
@charC = %char(%date(@numC:*iso) :*mdy/); // D'ccyy-mm-dd' to 'mm/dd/yy'

@charA = %char(%date(@numD:*mdy) :*ymd/); // mmddyy -6,0 to 'yy/mm/dd'

@charB = %char(%date(@numD:*mdy) :*usa/); // mmddyy -6,0 to 'mm/dd/ccyy'
@charC = %char(%date(@numD:*mdy) :*mdy/); // mmddyy -6,0 to 'mm/dd/yy'

@charA = %char(%date(@numE:*usa) :*ymd/); // mmddccyy -8,0 to 'yy/mm/dd'

@charB = %char(%date(@numE:*usa) :*usa/); // mmddccyy -8,0 to 'mm/dd/ccyy'
@charC = %char(%date(@numE:*usa) :*mdy/); // mmddccyy -8,0 to 'mm/dd/yy'

Page: 4
 // numeric to date... conversion
@dateA = %date(@numA:*ymd); // yymmdd to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@numB:*cymd); // cyymmdd to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@numC:*iso); // ccyymmdd to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@numD:*mdy); // mmddyy to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@numE:*usa); // mmddccyy to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@numD:*mdy); // mmddyy to D'ccyy-mm-dd'
@dateA = %date(@numE:*usa); // mmddccyy to D'ccyy-mm-dd'

// numeric to numeric... conversion

@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@numA:*ymd):*cymd0):7:0); // yymmdd to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@numA:*ymd):*iso0):8:0); // yymmdd to ccyymmdd

@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@numA:*ymd):*mdy0):6:0); // yymmdd to mmddyy

@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@numA:*ymd):*usa0):8:0); // yymmdd to mmddccyy

@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*ymd0):6:0); // cyymmdd to yymmdd

@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*iso0):8:0); // cyymmdd to ccyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*mdy0):6:0); // cyymmdd to mmddyy
@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@numB:*cymd):*usa0):8:0); // cyymmdd to mmddccyy

@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@numC:*iso):*ymd0):6:0); // ccyymmdd to yymmdd

@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@numC:*iso):*cymd0):7:0); // ccyymmdd to cyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@numC:*iso):*mdy0):6:0); // ccyymmdd to mmddyy
@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@numC:*iso):*usa0):8:0); // ccyymmdd to mmddccyy

@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@numD:*mdy):*ymd0):6:0); // mmddyy to yymmdd

@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@numD:*mdy):*cymd0):7:0); // mmddyy to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@numD:*mdy):*iso0):8:0); // mmddyy to ccyymmdd
@numE = %dec(%char(%date(@numD:*mdy):*usa0):8:0); // mmddyy to mmddccyy

@numA = %dec(%char(%date(@numE:*usa):*ymd0):6:0); // mmddccyy to yymmdd

@numB = %dec(%char(%date(@numE:*usa):*cymd0):7:0); // mmddccyy to cyymmdd
@numC = %dec(%char(%date(@numE:*usa):*iso0):8:0); // mmddccyy to ccyymmdd
@numD = %dec(%char(%date(@numE:*usa):*mdy0):6:0); // mmddccyy to mmddyy
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STANDARD - WORK DATE FLDS: SIMPLY DEFINED:

* /////////////////////

ls004 * Std. ISO Dates and Times Defined:

ls004 */////////////////////

ls004d CurIsoDate S D datfmt(*ISO) inz(*SYS)

ls004d CurUsaDate S D datfmt(*USA) inz(*SYS)

ls004d CurMdyDate S D datfmt(*MDY) inz(*SYS)

ls004d CurDate80 S 8S 0 inz(*zeros)

ls004d Wk_IsoDte s D datfmt(*ISO) inz(*loval)

ls004d Wk_UsaDte s D datfmt(*USA) inz(*loval)

ls004d Wk_IsoDtCh s 10a

ls004d Wk_UsaDtCh s 10a

ls004d CurTime s T timfmt(*ISO) inz(*SYS)

ls004d CurTime60 S 6 0

ls004d CurTime8a S 8a

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======================

SAMPLE CODE:
=====================

1.

2. The following code in Setheader() and CQCODEUPD() needs to be changed...

ls004c Eval AddDRV=drcode

ls004c Eval AddCode=*blanks

ls004c

ls004c*‚For 'S'afety related codes, 'T' for training related.

ls004c* Date conversion related code:

ls004c Eval AddCodeTyp = ' '

ls004c Eval AddEffDte=%char(CurUsaDate) ... (Use MDY DATES instead...) '11/19/09'

ls004c Eval AddExpDt=%char(Wk_UsaDte) ...

Page: 7
============================

ALSO,

finish this code THAT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED - ADD THE TEST(DE)...

=====================

ls004p ValDQCodes b

ls004d ValDQCodes pi 2a

ls004d Q_DriverCD 6 value

ls004d

ls004d @Errflag s 2a inz(*blanks)

ls004d

ls004d**

ls004d** Begin Date conversion fld's in ValDQCodes()...

d**

ls004d MDYDATE ds

ls004d mdy 1 8

ls004d mm 1 2 0

ls004d slash1 3 3 inz('/')

ls004d dd 4 5 0

ls004d slash2 6 6 inz('/')

ls004d yy 7 8 0

ls004d

ls004d MDYDATE# ds

Page: 8
ls004d mdy# 1 6 0

ls004d mm# 1 2 0

ls004d dd# 3 4 0

ls004d yy# 5 6 0

ls004d

ls004 /Free

Clear REDMSG;

Clear @Errflag;

ls004 // //////////////////////////////////////////////////

ls004 //‚Test Effective and Exp. Dates to ensure are valid:

ls004 //‚Just convert dates, and any errors indicate bad

ls004 //‚Date formats...

ls004 // /////////////////////////////////////////////////

EVAL MDYDATE = AddEffdte ;

// Move to a 6,0 mdy date fld, then to an *iso Date fld:

EVAL mm# = mm ;

EVAL dd# = dd ;

EVAL yy# = yy ;

Wk_IsoDte = %date(mdy#:*mdy); // mmddyy to D'ccyy-mm-dd'

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 If %Error ;

Eval @Errflag = 'ER';

Eval REDMSG = 'Invalid Effective Date';

Return @Errflag;

Endif;

ls004 //Eval @Rtrn_flag=ValDQCodes(drcode);

---> Also , use this BIF TO TEST DATES: *TEST(DE) the dates - test code...
he input is taken in *MDY format.

Scenario 1 – When the screen field is of 6 length numeric type. Keep this field as factor 2 and specify its format as
*MDY.

Scenario 2 – When screen field is of 8 character type. You want to give user the flexibility to enter ‘/’ also. (Though
it’s possible by applying some suitable edit code in DDS itself with 6 length numeric field, However, for the sake of
completeness... you know.)

Test the date first for *MDY and if error occurs, test it for *MDY0. This is because, if we do not specify explicitly
that the date does not have any separator, system will always search for it, if length of the character field is
greater than possible (6 in this case).

So, in this case something like this should happen

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*MDY Test(DE) W@ScrnFld

If %Error

*MDY0 Test(DE) W@ScrnFld

EndIf

If %Error

Confirmed invalid date

Endif

When W@Format = '*USA0'

C *USA0 Test(DE) W@Date

C When W@Format = '*CYMD'

C *CYMD Test(DE) W@Date

C When W@Format = '*CYMD0'

C *CYMD0 Test(DE) W@Date

C When W@Format = '*YMD'

C *YMD Test(DE) W@Date

C When W@Format = '*YMD0'

C *YMD0 Test(DE) W@Date

C When W@Format = '*DMY'

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C *DMY Test(DE) W@Date

C When W@Format = '*DMY0'

C *DMY0 Test(DE) W@Date

C EndSl

C If %Error

C 'Invalid' Dsply

One last thing, we should keep in our mind which declaring variables to store acting dates..:

 The Portion of a Numeric variable from left which exceeds the required length for calculation, is ignored by
program.

 The Portion of a Character variable from right which exceeds the required length for calculation, is ignored
by program.

---

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 And Here is a free table of %bifs below for further study:

http://www.rpgiv.com/kb/built-ins.html

http://search400.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid3_gci958687_mem1,0
0.html?ShortReg=1&mboxConv=search400_RegActivate_Submit&

NOTE: IBM Seems to skip-ship the RPG IV compiler. So RPG IV in V4R1, V4R3 and V4R5 have no new functionality.
The next scheduled upgrade is OS/400 V5R1 in Spring 2001.

Release Built-in Function Parameters Return Value Description

%ADDR {variable name }

Address of variable

V5R1 %ALLOC {memory size }

Pointer to the allocated storage.

V4R4 %CHAR {graphic, date, time, timestamp, or numeric expression}

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 The value in character data type

V5R1 %CHECK {compare-value : data-to-search { : start-position } }

Locates the first position in the searched-data that contains a character not in the list of the characters in the compare
value.

V5R1 %CHECKR {compare-value : data-to-search { : start-position } }

Finds last position in the searched-data that contains a character not in the list of the characters in the compare value.
(Search begins with the right-most character and proceeds to the left.

V5R1 %DATE { value { : date-format-code }

A date data-type value after converting the "value" to the specified date format. If no value is specified, the current system
date is returned.

V5R1 %DAYS {days }

A duration value that can be used in an expression to add a number of days to a date value.

V3R7 %DEC {numeric expression :digits : decpos}

Value in packed numeric format. If digits and decpos are specified the result value is formatted to fit in a variable of the
number of digits specified.

V3R7 %DECH {numeric expression : digits : decpos}

Half-adjusted value in packed numeric format. The length and decimal positions.

V3R7 %DECPOS {numeric expression }

Number of decimal digits.

V5R1 %DIFF {start-date : end-date : duration-code}

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 Calculates the difference between two date fields. The type of difference returned is specified by the duration-code.

V4R4 %DIV {Numerator : Denominator}

Performs integer division and returns the quotient (result) of that division operation.

V3R7 %EDITC {non-float numeric expression : edit code {:*CURSYM | *ASTFILL | currency symbol} }

String representing edited value.

V3R7 %EDITFLT {numeric expression }

Character external display representation of float.

V3R7 %EDITW {non-float numeric expression : edit word }

String representing edited value

%ELEM {array, table, or multiple occurrence data structure name }

Number of elements or occurrences.

V4R2 %EOF {file name}

'1' if the most recent file input operation or write to a subfile (for a particular file, if specified) | ended in an end-of-
file or | beginning-of-file condition '0' otherwise.

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V4R2 %EQUAL {file name}

'1' if the most recent SETLL (for a particular file, if specified) or LOOKUP operation found an exact match '0'
otherwise.

V4R2 %ERROR

'1' if the most recent operation code with extender 'E' specified resulted in an error '0' otherwise.

V3R7 %FLOAT

numeric expression Value in float format.

V4R2 %FOUND {file name}

'1' if the most recent relevant operation (for a particular file, if specified) found a record (CHAIN, DELETE, SETGT, SETLL),
an element (LOOKUP), or a match (CHECK, CHECKR, SCAN) '0' otherwise.

V4R4 %GRAPHIC Any character value

Converts character data to double-byte character set value.

V5R1 %HOURS Hours

hours A duration value that can be used in an expression to add a number of hours to a time value.

V3R7 %INT numeric expression

Value in integer format

Page: 16
V3R7 %INTH numeric expression

Half-adjusted value in integer format

V3R7 %LEN any expression

1. Returns the length of a variable or literal value, or the current length of a varying length field.

2. When used on the left side of the equal sign, sets the length of a varying length field.

V5R1 %LOOKUPxx search-data : array { : start-index { : elements to search }}

An array index of the element in the array where the search-data is located.

V5R1 %TLOOKUPxx search-data : searched-table { : alternate-table }

*ON if the search is successful, otherwise *OFF. (NOTE: The indexes of the searched-table and alternate-table are set to the
index of the search-data if *ON is returned.)

V5R1 %MINUTES minutes

A duration value that can be used in an expression to add a number of minutes to a time value.

V5R1 %MONTHS months

A duration value that can be used in an expression to add a number of months to a date value.

V5R1 %MSECONDS milliseconds

A duration value that can be used in an expression to add a number of milliseconds to a time value.

V3R7 %NULLIND null-capable field name

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 Value in indicator format representing the null indicator setting for the null-capable field.

V5R1 %OCCUR data-structure

The current occurrence of the data structure, or sets the current occurrence of the data structure.

V4R2 %OPEN file name

'1' if the specified file is open '0' if the specified file is closed. Consider this built-in to be an 'Is this file open?"
operation.

%PADDR procedure name

Address of procedure

V3R6 %PARMS Number of parameters passed to procedure

V5R1 %REALLOC {pointer : new-size }

Pointer to the allocated storage.

V4R4 %REM Numerator : Denominator

Performs integer division and returns the remainder from the division operation.

V4R2 %REPLACE

replacement string: source string {:start position {:source length to replace}}

String produced by inserting replacement string into source string, starting at start position and replacing the specified
number of characters.

V3R7 %SCAN search argument : string to be searched {:start position}

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 First position of search argument in string or zero, if not found.

V5R1 %SECONDS seconds

A duration value that can be used in an expression to add a number of seconds to a time value.

V5R1 %SHTDN

*ON if the job is being shut down (e.g., when the PWRDWNSYS command is issued) otherwise *OFF is returned.

%SIZE variable, data structure, array, or literal {: *ALL}

Number of bytes used by variable or literal. *ALL returns the number of bytes used by all the elements of the array, or all
the occurrences of the data structure.

V5R1 %SQRT expression or value

The square root of the expression or value.

V4R2 %STATUS {file name}

0 if no program or file error occurred since the most recent operation code with extender 'E' specified most recent value set
for any program or file status, if an error occurred if a file is specified, the value returned is the most recent status for
that file.

V3R7 %STR {pointer{:maximum length}

Characters addressed by pointer argument up to but not including the first x'00'.

V5R1 %SUBDT {date : duration-code }

The extracted component of the date value. (The functional equivalent of the EXTRCT operation code.)

Page: 19
 %SUBST { string : start {:length}

Substring value. If length is not specified, the substring begins with start and continues through the end of the
string.

V5R1 %THIS Used for Java integration.

Returns an Object reference.

V5R1 %TIME { value { : time-format-code }

A time data-type value after converting the "value" to the specified time format. If no value is specified, the current system
time is returned.

V5R1 %TIMESTAMP {value { : *ISO | *ISO0 }

A timestamp data-type value with or without separators.

%TRIM string

String with left and right blanks trimmed (removed)

%TRIML string

String with left blanks trimmed

%TRIMR string

String with right blanks trimmed

V4R4 %UCS2 Any character value

Returns a varying length value.

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V4R2 %UNS numeric expression

Value in unsigned format

V4R2 %UNSH numeric expression

Half-adjusted value in unsigned format

V5R1 %XLATE from-table : to-table : string-to-convert { : starting-position }

The converted string is returned.

V4R4 %XFOOT Array name

Cross foots (totals) all the elements in an arr

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