Date#() function: Worng type of output

[#1]

Hi all,

I'm trying to convert a text date into its numeric value using the Date#(...) function but for some reason it is not working properly.

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Here is the piece of code I'm using for testing:

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LET vMinDateText = MakeDate(2015,03);

LET vMaxDateText = Today(1);

LET vMinDate = Date#('$(vMinDateText)','DD/MM/YYYY');

LET vMaxDate = Date#('$(vMaxDateText)','DD/MM/YYYY');

TRACE >>> vMinDateText: $(vMinDateText);

TRACE >>> vMaxDateText: $(vMaxDateText);

TRACE >>> vMinDate: $(vMinDate);

TRACE >>> 'vMaxDate: $(vMaxDate);

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The output displayed in the running script window is:

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>>> vMinDateText: 1/03/2015

>>> vMaxDateText: 20/05/2015

>>> vMinDate: 1/03/2015

>>> vMaxDate: 20/05/2015

As you can see the data type stays the same. vMinDate and vMaxDate are texts instead of numbers.

Any idea on what I have been doing wrong ?

Thanks a lot for your help

[Gysbert_Wassenaar · Accepted solution]

The Date# function merely turns a string into a date. It gets the default date format of your document unless you use the date() function to specify a format explicitly. If you want a number then use a function that returns a number (like the num function) on it: LET vMinDate = num(Date#('$(vMinDateText)','DD/MM/YYYY'));

[Colin-Albert]

Date#() formats input text strings into a dual date value.

To format the output date you need to use Date() to convert the output value to the required format.

This post by Henric Cronstrom  hic‌ has a clear explanation on formatting dates for input and output  Get the Dates Right

[#4]

Thanks a lot Gysbert.

I indeed needed a number so I used the num fonction as you advised and it is working fine now.

[#5]

Thanks for sharing the Get the dates Right post