To enable VPlus to correctly process this date (as well as other two digit
dates) in 6-character date fields in its screens, a JCW (VSETNEXTCENTURY)
must be defined.  The Communicators for Express-3 and PowerPatch 5 describe
this new feature in detail.

Lee Gunter          [log in to unmask]




From: [log in to unmask] on 08/24/98 09:22 AM

Please respond to [log in to unmask]


To:   [log in to unmask]
cc:    (bcc: Lee Gunter/BCBSO/TBG)
Subject:  VIEW and 29th Feb. 2000




We are running MPE/iX 5.5 PP4, and the application we are currently
converting for Year 2000 compliance uses VIEW, and has a large number of
6-character date fields with Formspec data types of DMY or YMD.  In the
conversion we expanded the database date items from six to eight
characters,
 but left the date fields in the screens untouched, and generated the
century in the programs.
This approach worked fine, except that we have found that the date 290200
(or 000229) is not accepted by VIEW; the message "The field must be a valid
date, in YMD order.(YEAR = YYYY)" is generated.
Tests showed that the only way to enter this date was to redraw the screen
and define the date as an 8-character field, and for the user to enter all
eight digits.
But this solution is totally inappropriate for the whole application.  Even
if we had the time (and in many cases the space on the screen) to expand
all date fields, and to make the necessary program changes - we certainly
do not - the nature of our business (media sales) means that the
hard-pressed users work in a time window of two or three months at the
most,
 and we could not ask them to permanently enter the century as well as the
year simply to get round a problem which concerns one day!
So, does anyone know if what I have come across is a bug or a feature, and
if there is a workaround (by positioning a JCW?).  If not, does HP have any
plans to address this problem and provide an alternative solution?

TIA
Michael Voyner