datetimevb6castingregional

A better CDate for VB6


We have a a VB6 app (in a COM component) which uses CDate() to take a string and cast it to a Date, for storing in a database.

Depending on if we want the application to talk in dd/MM/yy or MM/dd/yy for example, we have to change the regional settings of the identity user for the COM application. (Right now the only option we have is a nasty hack.)

We have a date format string which is used for formatting all output dates, and it is assumed that the date

If this were .NET we would use DateTime.ParseExact and be away laughing. Calling out to a COM object written in .NET for this sole purpose is an option. Is there a different or better option, involving some black magic around the Format command, or a long reusable function that tokenizes the date depending on the format string, etc?


Solution

  • This should be close, though it hardcodes the delimiter as "/" and windows YY years at 50:

    Private Function ParseDate(ByVal DateString As String, _
                               ByVal DatePattern As String) As Date
        'DateString:  i/j/k formatting.
        'DatePattern: i/j/k formatting, each to be:
        '               M or MM for month position.
        '               D or DD for day position.
        '               YY or YYYY for year position, if YY
        '                 then century windowed at 50.
        Dim strStringParts() As String
        Dim strPatternParts() As String
        Dim intPart As Integer, intScore As Integer
        Dim intMonth As Integer, intDay As Integer, intYear As Integer
        Const DELIM As String = "/"
        Const YYWINDOW As Integer = 50
    
        strStringParts = Split(DateString, DELIM)
        strPatternParts = Split(UCase$(DatePattern), DELIM)
        For intPart = 0 To UBound(strStringParts)
            If intPart > UBound(strPatternParts) Then
                Err.Raise 5, "ParseDate"
            End If
            Select Case strPatternParts(intPart)
                Case "M", "MM"
                    intMonth = CInt(strStringParts(intPart))
                    intScore = intScore Or &H1
                Case "D", "DD"
                    intDay = CInt(strStringParts(intPart))
                    intScore = intScore Or &H2
                Case "YY"
                    intYear = CInt(strStringParts(intPart))
                    If 0 > intYear Or intYear > 99 Then
                        Err.Raise 5, "ParseDate"
                    End If
                    intYear = intYear + IIf(intYear < YYWINDOW, 2000, 1900)
                    intScore = intScore Or &H4
                Case "YYYY"
                    intYear = CInt(strStringParts(intPart))
                    If 100 > intYear Or intYear > 9999 Then
                        Err.Raise 5, "ParseDate"
                    End If
                    intScore = intScore Or &H4
                Case Else
                    Err.Raise 5, "ParseDate"
            End Select
        Next
        If intScore = &H7 Then
            ParseDate = DateSerial(intYear, intMonth, intDay)
        Else
            Err.Raise 5, "ParseDate"
        End If
    End Function
    

    Validation may not be perfect, but it ought to be close. It throws "Invalid procedure call or argument (Error 5)" on bad inputs.