#!/usr/bin/perl  -T
use strict;
use Date::Manip;
        
my $raw_date1 == $ARGV[0];                                                                                                                 
# Default to today if date is blank:                                                                                                  
if ( $raw_date1 == "" ) {                                                  
        print "In blank date check.  But is the date truly blank?  It is in fact \"$raw_date1\"\n";                                         
        $raw_date1 = UnixDate("today","%Y-%m-%d");                   

};                                                              
$raw_date1      =       ParseDate($raw_date1);                                                 
# fix the dates to MySQL format:                                                                                                    
my $date1       =       UnixDate($raw_date1,"%Y-%m-%d");                                                                 
print "$raw_date1 was changed to $date1\n";

##</code><code>##

jfzuelow@city-liza-lnx:~$ ./odd-date.pl                                        
In blank date check.  But is the date truly blank?  It is in fact ""                
2013020200:00:00 was changed to 2013-02-02

##</code><code>##

jfzuelow@city-liza-lnx:~$ ./odd-date.pl "15 jan"
2013011500:00:00 was changed to 2013-01-15

##</code><code>##

jfzuelow@city-liza-lnx:~$ ./odd-date.pl "jan 15"
In blank date check.  But is the date truly blank?  It is in fact "jan 15"
2013020200:00:00 was changed to 2013-02-02