>This is because the old system is NOT done by technical person!!
>
>It just use simple 12 characters to carry date information!!
>
>>>As the old database is Dbase IV,
>>>the old system DO NOT use 'date' format as field....
>>>
>>>The date field data Maybe:
>>> i) Aug. 23, 96
>>> ii) Aug. 24, 96.
>>> iii) Aug 25,97.
>>>....
>>>
>>>I need to transform to correct date format!!
>>>Currently I use character(old format) to get this string...
>>>
>>>That is, Table 'Orders' with date field 'Order_date' (Old Format)
>>>and I add a new empty Column 'Orderdate' for transform date....
>>>
>>>I Don't Know how to write a .prg to handle the database....
>>>
>>>I just know little on SQL command...
>>>Select field(s) from database!table where [condition];
>>>Delete from database!table for [condition];
>>>update database!table SET field = ... for [condition];
>>>
>>>Anyone can tell me the open file and close release structure on VFP??
>>>Thanks a lot, pls mail a copy to my mailbox!! ^-^"" Thanks
>>
>>Excuse me?? DBASE IV does store dates, just like DBASE II and Foxpro does, that is atleast one constant between the products..
>>
>>Sorry, I may have missed something in this thread..
>>
>>Tony Miller
>>Vancouver, Wa

Hmm,
Maybe you could write a parser routine that would look in each column until it finds either a . or Space() or , and that will be a delimiter.. I have Mac Rubels routine for paersing strings, and would just drop out the day, month, year into 3 vars, and then build a dtae using CTOD() and some reworking on the Month..

Thanx!

Tony MIller
Vancouver, Wa