No Subject

["\"Linda Clarke\" =20" <SQR@SPSUK.DEMON.CO.UK>]

  We have discovered what seems to be a weakness in the SQR v4 INPUT command 
  option 'format= ' that is at odds with the assertion that SQR v4 is Year-2000 
  compliant.
  
  
  The idea is that you can use 'format= ' to force the entered input to be in a 
  particular format.  E.g.
  
                INPUT $date type=date format='DD-MON-YYYY'
  
  In this example, any entry that is not a valid date, in this format, is not 
  accepted, so on the face of it this is quite a useful feature that ensures all 
  dates keyed in by the user are Y2000-proof.
  
  Unfortunately, we have noticed that if you specify '....YYYY' it is still 
  possible to enter a 2-digit year, such as '99'.    SQR v4 interprets '99' as 
  99 A.D.  
  
   
  SQR v4 allows this, as it is consistent with the entry of other data types; 
  for example, allowing the entry of '1' rather than insisting on '0001' when 
  inputting into a numeric field of format '9999'.
  
  Incidentally, if the year format is '...YY' then '99' is interpreted as 1999, 
  but '00' is still 1900!!
  
  What is the general feeling about this?  We can't possibly imagine why anyone 
  would want to specify a 4-digit year in the INPUT format and then enter a date 
  in the first Century, but you never know I suppose!
  
  Should SQRiBE change the way 'format=' works?  We think that you cannot 
  possibly certify your organisations' reports as being Year-2000 compliant, 
  (even if the SQR code itself is), if it is possible to bypass what may appear 
  at first glance to be a valid checking mechanism.  There does not seem to be a 
  way of stopping the entry of a 2-digit year (without using a separate checking 
  routine you wrote yourself) if the user is really determined to key one in.

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  From       : Mino Trombetta

  Company    : Software Product Services Limited
  Tel        : +44 (0)1483 730771    
  Fax        : +44 (0)1483 727417
  E-Mail     : support@sps-uk.co.uk
  URL        : http://www.sps-uk.co.uk
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