VMSDATE

[Chris Sharman]

>Nifty Date format allows you to write to Audit files etc using VMSTIMESTAMP.
>It contains a Date and a Time component (which of course prevents you
>checking if the date = yyyymmdd).
>
>Is there a way of reporting a VMSDATE item which shows the Time bit
>as well as the Date?

Here's my favourite:

def hhmm int*4 pic "^^:^^" signif 4 = &
	floor(0.00001*dateextract(<vmsdate>,time))

(I use floor rather than round to avoid displaying hh:60, particularly 23:60).

Allowing input is even less pleasant; and of course comparing any date item
with VMSTIMESTAMP is a no-no: VMSTIMESTAMP is always greater than any date
because it's treated as a (very large) number rather than a date.

dateextract(<vmsdate>,date) is OK for comparing with dates.

Wishlist:
1. It would be nice if Powerhouse supported full input/output of vmsdate (and
stardate, or any other platform's timestamp), without klugey arithmetic from
application programmers.

2. Allow date (& numeric) keys to be generic like character keys (@@) in
Quick screens. Presently I have to declare a char*8 redefinition in PHD & make
that the key, have a proper int8/bin8 key in RMS, prompt for a date on the
Quick screen (don't even think about trying to get the time portion), and using
characters(<vmsdate>)+"@@" to lookup via the char*8 key, relying on Powerhouse
using the RMS int8 key at the same offset without noticing it's the wrong type.
Works in 6.10->7.10, & should in 8.30.

99. Sensible behaviour for comparing vmstimestamp with dates: even just
disallowing the comparison at compile time would be an improvement -
vmstimestamp makes no sense as a number.

Chris
_______________________________________________________________________
Chris.Sharman@CCAgroup.co.uk		http://www.ccagroup.co.uk/
CCA Stationery Ltd, Eastway, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9WS.


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