convert a string to java.sql.Date object

[smitha rai]

Hi,
I am having a String of containing date in the format 'dd/mm/yyyy' OR 'dd-MMM-YYYY' OR 'mm-dd-yyyy' format. I need to convert the string to java.sql.Date object so that I can perform a query the database for the date field. Can any one suggest me with the code please.
Regards,
Smitha

[Michael Ernest]

You can get a Date back from the valueOf() method in java.sql.Date, but it requires "JDBC escape" format, i.e., yyyy-mm-dd.
While we here, would you mind re-registering using the two name format spelled out in JavaRanch's namign policy? We're striving to make sure our site has the kind of appearance that corporate managers wouldn't mind seeing on their employee's monitors, and presenting a proper name helps us do that. Thanks.
------------------
Michael Ernest, co-author of: The Complete Java 2 Certification Study Guide
[This message has been edited by Michael Ernest (edited November 06, 2001).]

[Peter den Haan]

You want to recognise all of them?

import java.text.*;
...
private static SimpleDateFormat df[] = new SimpleDateFormat[] {
   new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy"),
   new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MMM-yyyy"),
   new SimpleDateFormat("mm-dd-yyyy") };
...
public parseDate(String dateStr) {
   Date date = null;
   for (int i = 0; i < df.length; i++) {
      date = df[i].parse(dateStr, 0);
      if (date != null) break;
   }
   return date;
}

HTH
- Peter