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rjsand

asked on

Converting date string to tdatetime (varied date format entry)

I would like to find a function that would allow user to enter a date into an edit box in the format of any of these: mm/dd/yy or m/d/y or mm/dd/yyyy or m/d/yy, etc. and return a valid tdatetime, or return false if unable to convert to a tdatetime.  I've tried to figure it out by looking at the date formatting stuff in Delphi 6, but I'm so confused now I thought I'd go to the experts.

I would think this would be an often-used function.

Can you steer me towards the answer?  Thanks.
Avatar of ZhaawZ
ZhaawZ
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1. You can use TMaskEdit to let the user enter date in a single format.
2. You can divide the string and use function EncodeDate().
procedure TForm1.Edit1Change(Sender: TObject);
var
  dt : TDateTime;
  s : string;
  str : array [0..2] of string;
  int : array [0..2] of word;
  err : array [0..2] of integer;
  ValidDate : boolean;
begin
s := Edit1.Text;
str[0] := copy(s,1,pos('/',s) - 1); delete(s,1,pos('/',s));
str[1] := copy(s,1,pos('/',s) - 1); delete(s,1,pos('/',s));
str[2] := copy(s,1,length(s));
Val(str[0],int[0],err[0]);
Val(str[1],int[1],err[1]);
Val(str[2],int[2],err[2]);
ValidDate := true;
if err[0] or err[1] or err[2] <> 0 then ValidDate := false;
if (int[0] = 0) or (int[0] > 12) then ValidDate := false;
{add checking for day of month}
{add checking for year}
if ValidDate then dt := EncodeDate(int[2],int[0],int[1]) else ShowMessage('invalid date format');
end;
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of esoftbg
esoftbg
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The function would be:

type
  TDateRec = record
     Ok:          Boolean;
     Date:       TDate;
  end;

function  Text_To_Date(T: string): TDateRec;
begin
  try
    Result.Date := StrToDate(T);
    Result.Ok := True;
  except
    Result.Date := 0;
    Result.Ok := False;
  end;
end;
An improved version:

unit eoEditDate;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Controls, StdCtrls,
  Dialogs, DateUtils;

type
  TDateMask         = (mm_dd_yyyy, mm_dd_yy, m_d_yy, m_d_y);

  TDateRec = record
    Ok:      Boolean;
    Date:    TDate;
  end;

  TeoEditDate       =  class(TEdit)
    private          { Private declarations }
      FDate:           TDate;
      FDateOk:         Boolean;
      FDateMask:       TDateMask;
      FKeyPress:       TNotifyEvent;
      FSize:           Integer;
    protected        { Protected declarations }
      procedure        Change; override;
      procedure        KeyPress(var Key: Char); override;
      procedure        SetMask(const Value: TDateMask);
    public           { Public declarations }
      constructor      Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
      function         Text_To_Date(T: string): TDateRec;
      destructor       Destroy; override;
    published        { Published declarations }
      property         Date: TDate read FDate write FDate;
      property         DateOk: Boolean read FDateOk write FDateOk;
      property         DateMask: TDateMask read FDateMask write SetMask default mm_dd_yyyy;
      property         Size: Integer read FSize write FSize default 10;
      property         OnKeyPress: TNotifyEvent read FKeyPress write FKeyPress;
  end;

procedure Register;

implementation

procedure Register;
begin
  RegisterComponents('EOSoft', [TeoEditDate]);
end;

constructor            TeoEditDate.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  FDateMask := mm_dd_yyyy;
  FSize := 10;
end;

procedure              TeoEditDate.SetMask(const Value: TDateMask);
begin
  FDateMask := Value;
  case FDateMask of
    mm_dd_yyyy: FSize := 10;
    mm_dd_yy:   FSize := 8;
    m_d_yy:     FSize := 6;
    m_d_y:      FSize := 5;
  end;
end;

function               TeoEditDate.Text_To_Date(T: string): TDateRec;
begin
  try
    Result.Date := StrToDate(T);
    Result.Ok := True;
  except
    Result.Date := 0;
    Result.Ok := False;
  end;
end;

procedure              TeoEditDate.Change;
var
  DateRec:             TDateRec;
begin
  if (FSize>0) then
  begin
    if (Length(Text)>FSize) then
      Text := Copy(Text, 1, FSize);
  end;
  DateRec := Text_To_Date(Text);
  FDateOk := DateRec.Ok;
  FDate := DateRec.Date;
  inherited;
end;

procedure              TeoEditDate.KeyPress(var Key: Char);
var
  B:                   Boolean;
  I:                   Integer;
  J:                   Integer;
  L:                   Integer;
begin
  B := False;
  inherited;
  if Assigned(FKeyPress) then
    FKeyPress(Self);
  try
    J := 0;
    L := Length(Text);
    if (L>1) then
    begin
      for I := 1 to L do
        if (Text[I]=DateSeparator) then
          Inc(J);
      if (J<2) then
        B := not (Key in ['0'..'9', DateSeparator, #8])
      else
        B := not (Key in ['0'..'9', #8])
    end
    else
      B := not (Key in ['0'..'9', DateSeparator, #8]);
  finally
    if B then Key := #0;
  end
end;

destructor             TeoEditDate.Destroy;
begin
  inherited Destroy;
end;

end.
Avatar of rjsand
rjsand

ASKER

I loaded the eoEditDate component, but it stops after any keypress with a convert error.  Am I missing something in using the component?

Also, what I need is the ability to accept any string that could be interpreted as a valid date, without knowing ahead of time how the date format will be used.  If the user enters 4/5/03 or 405/2003, then they would both be able to be accepted and converted to a datetime value.

Thank you for your responses, and I sure would appreciate some additional feedback.

Avatar of rjsand

ASKER

I meant in the previous post "If the user enters 4/5/03 or 4/05/2003"  etc.
rjsand, why don't you use my example?
Hi rjsand,
If you set the DateMask property to m_d_y then the component doesn't allow to be entered more than 5 symbols. In this case you must enter 4/5/3 and it will be interpreted as 04/05/2003
If you set the DateMask property to mm_dd_yyyy then the component doesn't allow to be entered more than 10 symbols. In this case you can enter 4/5/3 and 4/5/03 and 04/5/03 and 04/05/03 and 04/05/2003 it will be interpreted as 04/05/2003
Thank you for the feedback. If you want I will improve the component as you need.
It is better to use the last version of the component. I see you are accepted the first version wich has some errors.
Avatar of rjsand

ASKER

Thanks for your help.  This is the first time I've used this site, and I didn't really understand how the process worked.  Hopefully, my next time will be better for everyone.  I meant to accept the last version.  My mistake.
Here is the last version (I hope it is error free):

unit eoEditDate;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Controls, StdCtrls,
  Dialogs, DateUtils;

type
  TDateMask         = (mm_dd_yyyy, mm_dd_yy, m_d_yy, m_d_y);

  TDateRec = record
    Ok:      Boolean;
    Date:    TDate;
  end;

  TeoEditDate       =  class(TEdit)
    private          { Private declarations }
      FDate:           TDate;
      FDateOk:         Boolean;
      FDateMask:       TDateMask;
      FKeyPress:       TNotifyEvent;
      FSize:           Integer;
    protected        { Protected declarations }
      procedure        Change; override;
      procedure        KeyPress(var Key: Char); override;
      procedure        SetMask(const Value: TDateMask);
    public           { Public declarations }
      constructor      Create(AOwner: TComponent); override;
      function         Text_To_Date(T: string): TDateRec;
      destructor       Destroy; override;
    published        { Published declarations }
      property         Date: TDate read FDate write FDate;
      property         DateOk: Boolean read FDateOk write FDateOk;
      property         DateMask: TDateMask read FDateMask write SetMask default mm_dd_yyyy;
      property         Size: Integer read FSize write FSize default 10;
      property         OnKeyPress: TNotifyEvent read FKeyPress write FKeyPress;
  end;

procedure Register;

implementation

procedure Register;
begin
  RegisterComponents('EOSoft', [TeoEditDate]);
end;

constructor            TeoEditDate.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
begin
  inherited Create(AOwner);
  FDateMask := mm_dd_yyyy;
  FSize := 10;
end;

procedure              TeoEditDate.SetMask(const Value: TDateMask);
begin
  FDateMask := Value;
  case FDateMask of
    mm_dd_yyyy: FSize := 10;
    mm_dd_yy:   FSize := 8;
    m_d_yy:     FSize := 8;
    m_d_y:      FSize := 8;
  end;
end;

function               TeoEditDate.Text_To_Date(T: string): TDateRec;
begin
  try
    Result.Date := StrToDate(T);
    Result.Ok := True;
  except
    Result.Date := EncodeDate(1,1,1);
    Result.Ok := False;
  end;
end;

procedure              TeoEditDate.Change;
var
  I:                   Integer;
  DateRec:             TDateRec;
begin
  if (FSize>0) then
  begin
    I := SelStart;
    if (Length(Text)>FSize) then
      Text := Copy(Text, 1, FSize);
    SelLength := 0;
    SelStart := I;
  end;
  DateRec := Text_To_Date(Text);
  FDateOk := DateRec.Ok;
  FDate := DateRec.Date;
  inherited;
end;

procedure              TeoEditDate.KeyPress(var Key: Char);
var
  B:                   Boolean;
  I:                   Integer;
  J:                   Integer;
  L:                   Integer;
begin
  B := False;
  inherited;
  if Assigned(FKeyPress) then
    FKeyPress(Self);
  try
    J := 0;
    L := Length(Text);
    if (L>1) then
    begin
      for I := 1 to L do
        if (Text[I]=DateSeparator) then
          Inc(J);
      if (J<2) then
        B := not (Key in ['0'..'9', DateSeparator, #8])
      else
        B := not (Key in ['0'..'9', #8])
    end
    else
      B := not (Key in ['0'..'9', DateSeparator, #8]);
  finally
    if B then Key := #0;
  end
end;

destructor             TeoEditDate.Destroy;
begin
  inherited Destroy;
end;

end.