#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
use Date::Manip;
while (<DATA>) {
    chomp;
    my $date = ParseDate($_);
    if ($date) {
        print "$_ \t=> ",  UnixDate($date,"%b %e, %Y."),"\n";
    }
    else {
        print "$_ \t=> not a valid date\n";
    }
}

__DATA__
19971103
11031997
11.03.1997
19983201
20031110
20031011
1993jan02
2002dec08
yesterday
today
tomorrow
Aug12
12Aug2003
Aug122003
122003Aug

##</code><code>##

output:

19971103        => Nov  3, 1997.
11031997        => not a valid date
11.03.1997      => Nov  3, 1997.
19983201        => not a valid date
20031110        => Nov 10, 2003.
20031011        => Oct 11, 2003.
1993jan02       => Jan  2, 1993.
2002dec08       => Dec  8, 2002.
yesterday       => Sep 29, 2003.
today           => Sep 30, 2003.
tomorrow        => Oct  1, 2003.
Aug12           => Aug 12, 2003.
12Aug2003       => Aug 12, 2003.
Aug122003       => Aug 12, 2003.
122003Aug       => Aug 12, 2003.