This relates to ALLBASE/SQL, IMAGE/SQL, MS Access
 
So I have told my MS Access to connect a table to IMAGE/SQL. COOL
I have dates of type X8 like YYYYMMDD. COOL
Then I do a MS Access query on the attached table, to sort by date. COOL
Well, of course, when you sort a X8 like this, it will sort correctly. COOL
But it is not a legit DATE type in Access, so you cannot take advantage
of the many, many date gizmos to do charting, etc. NOT COOL
So then I made a ABC function that takes "YYYYMMDD" and converts it
to the official Access ABC VARIANT date type using the DateSerial function.
This is used in the query. The query also sorts by the date.
The result is as if it is by a type TEXT field. NOT SO COOL
So, now I look at
the HP ALLBASE/SQL Ref Man to learn all about date types in that
environment. Low and behold --- there is no discussion on supporting the
date type of YYYYMMDD which is used by gazillions of data sets throughout
the world.  REALLY NOT VERY COOL AT ALL
 
My current solution is to do the query extract from the Image/SQL table into
a table where the destination field is type DATE. The function to convert
the type TEXT to type DATE is used in the Query. COOL
Then I query from that (temporary) table. Things are COOL.
 
So, the question(s) are:
 
(1) Is there a more direct way of handling this?
(2) Did I do something wrong?
(3) Is this a MS Access problem, and ODBC problem, or an IMAGE/SQL problem?
(4) Are there better ways to map dates in IMAGE/SQL stored as X8, or any of
    a number of other formats that have been dreamed up over the last 20
    years.
    That is, to leverage existing information to be used by new technology.
 
If YES to any question, please explain your position.
 
TIA,
 
Elbert Silbaugh