INTDATE

INTDATE affects the starting date that is used for date intrinsic functions.

Syntax

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagramINTDATE=*ANSILILIAN
Default
INTDATE=ANSI
ANSI
Uses the ANSI COBOL Standard starting date for integer date format dates used with date intrinsic functions. Day 1 = Jan 1, 1601.

With INTDATE(ANSI), the date intrinsic functions return the same results as in COBOL/370 Release 1.

LILIAN
Uses the Language Environment® Lilian starting date for integer date format dates used with date intrinsic functions. Day 1 = Oct 15, 1582.

With INTDATE(LILIAN), the date intrinsic functions return results compatible with the Language Environment date callable services. These results are different from those in COBOL/370 Release 1.

Note:
  • When INTDATE(LILIAN) is in effect, CEECBLDY is not usable because you have no way to turn an ANSI integer into a meaningful date using either intrinsic functions or callable services. If you code a CALL literal statement with CEECBLDY as the target of the call with INTDATE(LILIAN) in effect, the compiler diagnoses this and converts the call target to CEEDAYS.
  • If you set your installation option to INTDATE(LILIAN), you should recompile all of your COBOL/370 Release 1 programs that use intrinsic functions to ensure that all of your code uses the lilian integer date standard. This method is the safest, because you can store integer dates, pass them between programs, and even pass them from PL/I to COBOL to C programs and have no problems.