why is "8/3/2004" > "8/10/2004"?

[Bjorn]

Hi,

I need to determine the hightest date between e.g. "8/3/2004" and
"8/4/2004".
With this code, i get 'dat2' , which means that "8/4/2004" is higher than
"8/3/2004". That 's right.
But with "8/3/2004" and from "8/10/2004" (also "8/11/2004" ...) i get
'dat1'.
<%
dat1="8/3/2004"
dat2="8/10/2004"
if dat1>dat2 then
response.write("dat1")
else
response.write("dat2")
end if
%>

Why does that not produce 'dat2'?
Thanks
bjorn

 

[Bob Barrows [MVP]]

Hi,

I need to determine the hightest date between e.g. "8/3/2004" and
"8/4/2004".
With this code, i get 'dat2' , which means that "8/4/2004" is higher
than "8/3/2004". That 's right.
But with "8/3/2004" and from "8/10/2004" (also "8/11/2004" ...) i get
'dat1'.
<%
dat1="8/3/2004"
dat2="8/10/2004"
if dat1>dat2 then
response.write("dat1")
else
response.write("dat2")
end if
%>

Why does that not produce 'dat2'?

Because you are comparing strings. "8/3" is greater than "8/1" when you are
ordering them "alphabetically". You need to convert the strings to dates in
order to compare them as dates. Use the CDate() function, or better yet,
Dateserial(). If you do not have the vbscript documentation, you can
download it from here:
http://tinyurl.com/7rk6

HTH,
Bob Barrows

 

[John]

dat1=CDate("8/3/2004")

 

[Bjorn]

thanks

 

[Christopher Brandsdal]

<%

dat1=FormatDateTime(#8/3/2004 11:59 AM#, 2)

dat2=FormatDateTime(#8/10/2004 11:59 AM#, 2)

if dat1>dat2 then

response.write("dat1")

else

response.write("dat2")

end if

%>

 

[CJM]

The other posters seem to be pointing you in the right direction, but I
thought I'd mention that it is much better if you use a universal date
format since your '8/3/2004' could refer to 8th March or 3rd August
depending on other factors. '20040803' is [unambiguously] March 3rd.

See http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2023

 

[David C. Holley]

And actually, I'm willing to bet that that's exactly what's going.
You're comparing 08 MAR 2004 to 03 AUG 2004.

David H

 

[Aaron [SQL Server MVP]]

No, it wouldn't take one m/d/y and another m/d/y and only transpose one of
them.

The problem is that the string "8/3..." comes before the string "8/1..."

--
http://www.aspfaq.com/
(Reverse address to reply.)

And actually, I'm willing to bet that that's exactly what's going.
You're comparing 08 MAR 2004 to 03 AUG 2004.

David H

The other posters seem to be pointing you in the right direction, but I
thought I'd mention that it is much better if you use a universal date
format since your '8/3/2004' could refer to 8th March or 3rd August
depending on other factors. '20040803' is [unambiguously] March 3rd.

See http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2023

 

[Bob Barrows [MVP]]

No, it wouldn't take one m/d/y and another m/d/y and only transpose
one of them.

The problem is that the string "8/3..." comes before the string
"8/1..."

Hmm - that statement sounds familiar ... ;-)

 

[Dave Anderson]

And actually, I'm willing to bet that that's exactly what's going.
You're comparing 08 MAR 2004 to 03 AUG 2004.

More to the point, CYMD formats can be compared as strings, so no date
conversion is required for sorting. Together with its complete lack of
ambiguity, this format is hard to beat.



--
Dave Anderson

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