ehIssDate (issdate)

In which input files is this field used?

In headers of DBI files

What should the field look like?

In the usual files (including w.dbi): [issdate:yyyy-mm-dd(xx),yyyy-mm-dd(xx)]

What does the field contain?

The (cover) date of an Issue (only for level-3 headers).

The field can contain multiple dates, each followed by a comment. For example:

[issdate:1980-01-01,2000-03-03(reprint)]

or

[issdate:1980-01-01(cover),1980-01-03(indicia)]

Make sure the oldest date is always the first in the list!

(Note that this is the only date field where multiple dates are allowed.)

Which checks are done?

The field always has the (international standard) format "yyyy-mm-dd".
If the day is unknown, the field has no "-dd" ("yyyy-mm"). If the month is unknown too, the date is simply a 4-digit year.

If only the quarter of the year is known, the date format is "yyyy-Qx" where x is 1, 2, 3, or 4. For instance "1998-Q3" = 3rd quarter of 1998.

A date field can be followed by a '?'.

If a date contains a letter 'y', 'm', or 'd', the rest of the date, starting with this letter, is ignored. This allows dates like "1978-mm-dd" and "1978-03-dd". (This feature was added to make the input more readable. Use it with care!)

Note that the full 4-digit year is mentioned in the date.

The checking on real dates is not done completely, for instance February 29th is allowed in all years.
On an h3 line, the field should never be empty.
On h1 and h2 lines, the field should always be empty.

Which CSV field(s) use this field?

The field oldestdate in table inducks_issue
The field date in table inducks_issuedate
The field kindofdate in table inducks_issuedate

How is the data used in the rest of INDUCKS?

See pubdate.

This page was generated on 2007-06-20 by DVEGEN 4.5a © Harry Fluks 2003.
For more information contact Harry Fluks (hfl at inducks.org - replace the at)