public ConvertToDateExpression() 
{

}

Default Constructor.

 public String getField() 
{
    return field;
}

Returns the name of the data-row column from where to read the string that should be parsed.

 public String getFormat() 
{
    return format;
}

Returns the SimpleDateFormat pattern that is used for the parsing.

 public Locale getLocale() 
{
    return locale;
}

Returns the locale that is used for the parsing.

 public Object getValue() 
{
    final DataRow dataRow = getDataRow();
    // get the row directly as a Number
    final Object o = dataRow.get(field);
    // check if that thing is a Number
    if (o instanceof Date)
    {
      return o;
    }
    // get a string and convert
    try
    {
      Locale localeUsed = locale;
      if (localeUsed == null)
      {
        localeUsed = getResourceBundleFactory().getLocale();
      }
      final DateFormat format;
      if (dateFormat == null || ObjectUtilities.equal(localeUsed, lastLocale) == false)
      {
        final String formatString = getFormat();
        if (formatString == null || formatString.length() == 0)
        {
          format = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.DEFAULT, localeUsed);
          dateFormat = format;
          lastLocale = localeUsed;
        }
        else
        {
          final SimpleDateFormat sformat = new SimpleDateFormat(formatString);
          if (locale != null)
          {
            sformat.setDateFormatSymbols(new DateFormatSymbols(locale));
          }
          else
          {
            final ResourceBundleFactory factory = getResourceBundleFactory();
            sformat.setDateFormatSymbols(new DateFormatSymbols(factory.getLocale()));
          }
          format = sformat;
          dateFormat = sformat;
          lastLocale = localeUsed;
        }
      }
      else
      {
        format = dateFormat;
      }
      return format.parse(String.valueOf(o));
    }
    catch (ParseException e)
    {
      return null;
    }
}

Parses the value read from the column specified by the given field-name and tries to parse it into a Date using the given SimpleDateFormat-pattern.

 public  void setField(String field) 
{
    this.field = field;
}

Defines the name of the data-row column from where to read the string that should be parsed.

 public  void setFormat(String format) 
{
    this.format = format;
    this.lastLocale = null;
    this.dateFormat = null;
}

Defines the SimpleDateFormat pattern that is used for the parsing.

 public  void setLocale(Locale locale) 
{
    this.locale = locale;
    this.lastLocale = null;
    this.dateFormat = null;
}

Defines the locale that is used for the parsing.