SYMBOS and dates

[rpalmer]

People,

I have noticed that dates shown in SYMBOS dont match up with known formats.
The US styles of dates are in the format MM/DD/YY (or MMM/DD/YY) and is interpreted as month/day/year.
The UK/AUS styles of dates are in the format DD/MM/YY (or DD/MMM/YY) and is interpreted day/month/year.

Does the format shown by SYMBOS infer YY/MM/DD (see first attached image). If this format is invalid and SYMBOS is using the 'US' format then there is an error which will need fixing as the day and year values are back to front for US format.

HDOS uses a format where it cannot be mis-interpreted (see second image)

Note: I have checked SYMBOS and cannot change the date format in its outputs.

rpalmer

[khaz]

YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS is the objectively superior format to store dates electronically, at it allows them to be sorted easily.

But it's true the user isn't used to it (safe for the Asian user), and options to show dates in various formats could be included.

[TFM]

Does the format shown by SYMBOS infer YY/MM/DD (see first attached image).

Yes, it does, it the GER way of showing dates. I think it's a good way of doing it. Of course YYYY is helpful since we just left one millennium a bit ago. 

[SRS]

DIN 5008 - but it should be yyyy-mm-dd as the millenium is not "sure" for CPC software

or ISO 8601:2004 ... so MS is not following ISO but SymbOS is

[rpalmer]

Thanks TFM.

I could not at first know what 06/03/09 (for a file in the snapshot) represented without knowing how dates are to be interpreted.
I could see the values as 06-Mar-2009 (UK - DD/MM/YY) or 03-Jun-2009 (US - MM/DD/YY) or 09-Mar-2006 (GER - YY/MM/DD).

rpalmer

[TFM]

DIN 5008 - but it should be yyyy-mm-dd as the millenium is not "sure" for CPC software

or ISO 8601:2004 ... so MS is not following ISO but SymbOS is

Cool! You really got this one out! Next time I just ask you. 

[TFM]

Thanks TFM.

I could not at first know what 06/03/09 (for a file in the snapshot) represented without knowing how dates are to be interpreted.
I could see the values as 06-Mar-2009 (UK - DD/MM/YY) or 03-Jun-2009 (US - MM/DD/YY) or 09-Mar-2006 (GER - YY/MM/DD).

rpalmer

Glad you do it with YYYY.    (I should alter that in my software too...).

[Audronic]

@rpalmer


Hi Ray P


Are you reading the same hard drive with Symbos and HDos (ide/8255) ??
Yes the dates can become confusing  YYYY is probably the way to go.


Ray W