Here is what I use to handle the most common date formats (assume the usual use strict; and use warnings; as well as use Carp; and use DateTime; are present): 

# Utility function to convert a date string to a DT object
sub _str2dt {
    # string that is supposed to be yyyy-mm-dd or mm/dd/yyyy
    # single digit months/days are allowed with this.
    my $date = shift;

    # convert date param to DT object
    my ($y,$m,$d);
    if ( $date =~ m/(^\d{4})\-(\d{1,2})\-(\d{1,2})($|\D+)/ ) {
        $y = $1, $m = $2, $d = $3;
    } elsif ( $date =~ m/^(\d{1,2})\/(\d{1,2})\/(\d{4})($|\D+)/ ) {
        $y = $3, $m = $1, $d = $2;
    } else {
        croak "Unable to parse date string: $date";
    }
    eval { $date = DateTime->new( year => $y, month => $m, day => $d )
+; }
        or croak "Invalid date: $date";

    return $date;
}

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In reply to Re: Formatting STDIN for date format by boftx
in thread Formatting STDIN for date format by Ashley Jordan

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