A simple lookup table that adjusts the year value according to the month would be much quicker than using generic date modules. This is a slight tweak of my earlier post in another thread (It's generally better to ask follow up questions in the original thread rather than start a new thread). Of course, any answer can only be as good as the information you provide. If there is further undisclosed information (the fiscal year in the UK runs 6th April through 5th April), then further tweaks may be necessary:

#! perl -slw
use strict;
my %months = (
    FY => 0,
    Jan => 0, Feb => 0, Mar => 0, Apr => 0, May => 0, Jun => 0,
    Jul => +1, Aug => +1, Sep => +1, Oct => +1, Nov => +1, Dec => +1,
);

print for map{
    unpack 'x[n]A*', $_
} sort map {
    my( $alpha, $num ) = m[^(\S+?)\s*(\d+)$];
    $num += 2000 if $num <= 49;
    $num += 1900 if $num <= 99;
    pack 'nA*', $num + $months{ $alpha }, $_;
} <DATA>;


__DATA__
Apr 2006
FY05
FY98
FY04
Dec 2007
Jan 1997
Jan 1998
Dec 1998
[download]

Output

C:\test>junk
Jan 1997
FY98
Jan 1998
Dec 1998
FY04
FY05
Apr 2006
Dec 2007
[download]

A simple lookup table <...] would be much quicker than using generic date modules

In the case of Data::Manip, this is quite true. Being a pure-Perl module, it is quite slow. On the other hand cpan:://Date::Calc is largely written in C, and as a result tends to be much faster for general date manipulations.

But in the present scenario, I would tend to agree, a lookup table will be the way to go.

• another intruder with the mooring in the heart of the Perl

You're right. I should have made it clearer that I meant "for this specific application".

---

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

"Too many [] have been sedated by an oppressive environment of political correctness and risk aversion."

I'm pretty sure Date::Manip will be able to help you out here, although it is quite a big module, it does pretty much anything date related you could ever want.

Normally i'd post another alternative, but Date::Manip pretty much does it all

Update Having just tried to put together some code to go with this magical hand waving, it turns out to be a little more tricky than i thought... mainly becasue some websites tell me that I can start my fiscial year whenever I want, and not in June, as I thought (which is the Australian Tax year) - although Date::Manip is still a good start.

f00li5h sits down to a nice meal of humble pie

Re: sort array by date by shonorio seems to be on the money.

Hi

If my guess is right, then try this code

%Months = (
'Jan'=>1,
'Feb'=>2,
'Mar'=>3,
'Apr'=>4,
'May'=>5,
'Jun'=>6,
'Jul'=>7,
'Aug'=>8,
'Sep'=>9,
'Oct'=>10,
'Nov'=>11,
'Dec'=>12
);

$_='Jan 2007';

if ($_=~/(\w{3}) (\d{4})/) {
  ($m,$y) = ($Months{$1},$2);
  $f=$y;
  $s=$y;
}

if ($m >= 1 && $m <= 6) {
   print "FY - Jul " . --$f . " - Jun " . $s . "\n";
} elsif ($m >= 7 && $m <= 12) {

   print "FY - Jul " . $f . " - Jun " . ++$s . "\n";
}
[download]

Output:

FY - Jul 2006 - Jun 2007

regards
Franklin