Re: Specifying Dates in DDS

["Simon Coulter" <fbns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Neil,

I would use the date data type.  The advantages are:
        system supported date functions (durations, extractions, comparisons,
leap-year, etc)
        direct query support (Query/400, OPNQRYF, SQL, ODBC, and most third 
party
tools)
        less space used in the database
        
The disadvantages are:
        not easy to process from RPG/400
        no PRTF or DSPF date fields (no big deal anyway, just move)
        slightly slower performance using date fields (converting to/from 
internal
DB format)

Regards,
Simon Coulter.

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//--- forwarded letter -------------------------------------------------------
> X-Mailer: TFS Gateway /222000000/223021754/223005105/223110748/
> Date: Tue, 10 Mar 98 12:23:56 +0000
> From: neil.williams@pocruises.com
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Reply-To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Specifying Dates in DDS

> 
>     
>      I have always believed that the best and most efficient way (from a 
>      retrieval and manipulation point of view) to store dates in a physical 
>      file is in the format 
>      
>      A          CC    2S 0
>      A          YY    2S 0
>      A          MM    2S 0
>      A          DD    2S 0
>      
>      I've been asked to consider using;
>      
>      A          DAT   8D 
>      
>      Now I'm an old stick in the mud with tunnel vision, so can anyone tell 
>      me the pros and cons of both methods so that I can make an informed 
>      decision on this ?
>      
>      Neil Holley-Williams
>      Southampton, UK
>       


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