# Converting dates in Natural under unix **URL:** \ **Category:** Forum\ **Tags:** Adabas-Natural, Natural, Natural-on-Mainframes\ **Created:** [November 22, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340 "2005-11-22T15:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gabriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@Gabriel](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Gabriel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/1 "2005-11-22T15:25:54Z")
Hi all, I would like to know if there is a way to convert a date in format DD/MM/YY to YYYYMMDD. I think it can be done using \*DATE or a similar variable, but in this environment I have no help and I really can´t remember how to do it. Thanks everyone, Gabriel. ---
**Author:** ![Klaus\_Sponagel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Klaus\_Sponagel](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Klaus_Sponagel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/2 "2005-11-22T15:52:54Z")
Gabriel Here is a small sample. Testet on Natural 414 under Com-Plete. But should work the same way under Natural 6.11 Unix: DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 D1(A8) INIT \<‘22/11/05’\> 1 D(D) 1 D2(A8) END-DEFINE MOVE EDITED D1 TO D(EM=DD/MM/YY) MOVE EDITED D(EM=YYYYMMDD) TO D2 WRITE D1 / D / D2 END ---
**Author:** ![Klaus\_Sponagel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Klaus\_Sponagel](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Klaus_Sponagel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/3 "2005-11-22T15:56:29Z")
Ups… The type definitions have been converted into smilies (due to cut 'n paste ?!). D1 and D2 are both A8. ---
**Author:** ![Gabriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@Gabriel](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Gabriel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/4 "2005-11-22T16:16:05Z")
Great Klaus!!! Thank you for your quick and exact response! Gabriel. ---
**Author:** ![Weihnachtsbar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/weihnachtsbar/32/146_2.png) [@Weihnachtsbar](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Weihnachtsbar)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/5 "2005-11-22T20:02:24Z")
Hint: you have to make your natural coding within a code section: [code] … [/ code] … without blanks before and after ] [ ```auto DEFINE DATA LOCAL 1 D1(A8) INIT <'22/11/05'> 1 D(D) 1 D2(A8) END-DEFINE MOVE EDITED D1 TO D(EM=DD/MM/YY) MOVE EDITED D(EM=YYYYMMDD) TO D2 WRITE D1 / D / D2 END ``` or you write 1 D2 ( A8 ) because 8 ) … without space inbetween … are converted into smilies wearing sunglases 8) ---
**Author:** ![Klaus\_Sponagel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Klaus\_Sponagel](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Klaus_Sponagel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/6 "2005-11-22T20:20:27Z")
Ahh… I see. And a ```auto :D ``` is converted to 😃 and a ```auto :) ``` into 🙂 Alternatively I can also activate the "Disable Smilies’ checkbox to disable this “Character to Emoticons conversion”. Thanks for that hint. ---
**Author:** ![Jerome\_LeBlanc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/user_avatar/techcommunity.softwareag.com/jerome_leblanc/32/111_2.png) [@Jerome\_LeBlanc](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/Jerome_LeBlanc)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/7 "2005-11-22T20:36:00Z")
Be careful when converting dates. If your xx/xx/xx is not a valid mm/dd/yy you will get a runtime error. On MVS you can check for a valid date format using ```auto IF #DATE-MDY = MASK (MM/DD/YY) MOVE EDITED #DATE-MDY (EM=MM/DD/YY) TO #DATE-D MOVE EDITED #D TO #DATE-CYMD (EM=YYYYMMDD) ELSE WRITE #DATE-MDY 'is not valid date in mm/dd/yy format.' END-IF ``` ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/techcommunity/original/3X/c/d/cd19967bb605d28a72d77eb83a1cae22f3df2eb8.svg) [@system](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://techcommunity.softwareag.com/t/converting-dates-in-natural-under-unix/60340/8 "2021-04-02T14:40:21Z")