Y2K Clarification

[Bob Benson]

Gilles:

I have to assume that you are using an HP3000 version of PH and that the
version number is somewhere south of PH8.  I just came off a one year Y2K
PH contract for a Fortune 500.

There are some very severe problems with the DATE function in the
environment you mention (CENTURY EXCLUDED) in versions prior to 8.  These
problems occur when your database contains 6-digit dates that span more
than one century (19, 20) and you use dates from both centuries in your
processing.  For example, there are numerous places in the system I was
working on where the logic converts a date using the DAYS function, adds a
number of days to it and uses the DATE function to convert back.  Assuming
the SYSDATE is in the 20th century, if that calculation crosses the century
boundary, such as 10 Dec 99 plus 30 days, the result is a DCE.  The DCE
occurs when you try to use the DATE function to convert back after adding
the days.  Similarly, if the SYSDATE is in the 21st century, a calculation
such as 10 Jan 00 minus 30 days crosses the century boundary going
backwards and also causes a DCE.

If I recall correctly the Feb 29, 2000 DCE phenomenon occurred when using
SYSDATE on Feb 29, 2000, not the DATE function.

To solve the Feb 29, 2000 problem we found that we had to upgrade to
PH8.19.  The DATE function problem was a bit harder to solve.  We came to
the sad conclusion that, while the vast majority of the PH programs had to
remain in the CENTURY EXCLUDED environment, any PH program that calls the
DATE function had to run off a CENTURY INCLUDED dictionary.

There are other gory details but these are the "highlights".

Bob Benson

[No true Year 2000 success story can be reported until the year 2000]

----------
> From: Gilles Belliveau <belliveg@nbnet.nb.ca>
> To: PowerHouse Listserv <powerh-l@lists.swau.edu>
> Subject: Y2K Clarification
> Date: Friday, March 12, 1999 7:00 AM
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I would like it if someone could confirm something for me.
> 
> It is my understanding from what I have read on the Cognos web site that
> if we have CENTURY EXCLUDED and DEFAULT CENTURY 19 in the dictionary,
> then the DATE function will not be able to return a value of 2000/02/29
> or any date after December 31, 1999 for that matter.
> 
> Is this correct or is there a way the DATE function can still give us
> February 29, 2000 without causing a data conversion error? 
> (I was not the one who did the Y2K conversion, but I am now the one who
> is testing and debuging it because the person who did the conversion is
> currently on maternity leave, so my knowledge of Y2K issues is limited)
> 
> Thanks,
> Gilles Belliveau
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