CalendarUtil

package ch.makery.address.util;

import java.text.ParseException;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Calendar;

/**
 * Helper functions for handling dates.
 */
public class CalendarUtil {

  /**
  * Default date format in the form 2013-03-18.
  */
  private static final SimpleDateFormat DATE_FORMAT = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");

  /**
  * Returns the given date as a well formatted string. The above defined date
  * format is used.
  * 
  * @param calendar date to be returned as a string
  * @return formatted string
  */
  public static String format(Calendar calendar) {
      if (calendar == null) {
          return null;
      }
      return DATE_FORMAT.format(calendar.getTime());
  }

  /**
  * Converts a String in the format "yyyy-MM-dd" to a Calendar object.
  * 
  * Returns null if the String could not be converted.
  * 
  * @param dateString the date as String
  * @return the calendar object or null if it could not be converted
  */
  public static Calendar parse(String dateString) {
      Calendar result = Calendar.getInstance();
      try {
          result.setTime(DATE_FORMAT.parse(dateString));
          return result;
      } catch (ParseException e) {
          return null;
      }
  }
  
  /**
  * Checks the String whether it is a valid date.
  * 
  * @param dateString
  * @return true if the String is a valid date
  */
  public static boolean validString(String dateString) {
      try {
          DATE_FORMAT.parse(dateString);
          return true;
      } catch (ParseException e) {
          return false;
      }
  }
}