---
title: "DateFromString"
slug: "datefromstring"
updated: 2023-03-24T14:38:15Z
published: 2023-03-24T14:38:15Z
canonical: "docs.datajet.app/datefromstring"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.datajet.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# DATEFROMSTRING(A,B)

## String: DateFromString(A,B)

## Produce a date field from a date stored as string

## Purpose

Use this function to:

- Convert Dates loaded as strings into Date fields
- Create Date fields after loading unknown date columns as strings for inspection and review

## Return Value

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **FieldType** | Date |
| **FieldSize** | Low / Med |
| **DataType** | Discrete |
| **DataSize** | Integer |

```shell
Example Return Value:  1974-02-19
```

![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/image-1679668599452.png)

## Parameters

| Parameter | JSON | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Table** | “targetTable”: “MyTableName” | The target table on which the new field will be created |
| **Filter** | “dataset”: {DataSet_JSON} | Optional. If a filter is applied, records not in the filter recordset will be returned as null. |
| **Function** | "function":"String" | String |
| String Function | “p1”: “DATEFROMSTRING(A,B)” | DATEFROMSTRING(A,B) |
| A | “p2”: | Required. The string field containing the date string *Supports:* - **DataType:** Discrete / Continuous - **Field Type:** String - **Fixed Value:** #YYYY-MM-DD etc |
| B | “p3”: | Required. The format of the data in the source string field *Supports:* - #YYYY-MM-DD - #YYYYMMDD - #MM-DD-YYYY - #MMDDYYYY - #DD-MM-YYYY - #DDMMYYYY |
| **Treat Null as Zero** | "nullIsZero": true "nullIsZero": false | True/False. Default = False If true, then any null values in the input fields will be treated as if they have a value of 0. |

## JSON Sample

```json
{
  "method": "BuildBakedField",
  "project": "BikeData2",
  "targetTable": "BikeTripData",
  "overwrite": true,
  "name": "dt_start_date",
  "function": "string",
  "p1": "DATEFROMSTRING(A,B)",
  "p2": "str_start_date",
  "p3": "#YYYY-MM-DD"
}
```

## Usage Notes

Convert date values stored in STRING field into a native DATE field

Inputs:

- Field A is the string date
- Field B is the string date format

Date Formats:

- #YYYY-MM-DD
- #YYYYMMDD
- #MM-DD-YYYY
- #MMDDYYYY
- #DD-MM-YYYY
- #DDMMYYYY

See Also:

- Engineering | Expression Field

## Example

| Example | Details |
| --- | --- |
| **Description** | Create date field from date loaded as a string |
| **Input** | - Table: = [BikeTripData] - Filter: = [No Filter] - **Function: = String** - String Function:= DATEFROMSTRING(A,B) - A: = str_start_date - B: = #YYYY-MM-DD - Name: =dt_start_date |
| **Sample** | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/73b6469b-c1e4-47e9-aa65-986c8ebd17ca/Images/Documentation/image-1679668342866.png) |