Description

The DateHandler class is a C++ library that encapsulates date-related functionality in a clean, object-oriented interface. Built directly on top of the lower-level Dates.h library, it focuses exclusively on handling dates (not time or period calculations), making it easier for developers to work with calendars, date validation, and formatting.

By abstracting away raw function calls from Dates.h, this class provides a more natural workflow for developers who prefer object-oriented design, while still retaining the reliability and versatility of the underlying namespace-based implementation.

Technologies Used

  • C++ (OOP)
  • Custom Utility Library: Dates.h

Functionality & Features

Date Construction

  • Initialize from system date, string input, day/month/year, or day-order-in-year.

Validation & Formatting

  • Validate dates and formats.
  • Format dates into customizable string patterns.

Calendar Operations

  • Retrieve month and year calendars.
  • Identify day names, month names, and week positions.

Date Navigation

  • Move forward or backward by days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, or millennia.

Comparisons & Queries

  • Check if a date is before/after/equal to another date.
  • Verify if a date is valid, end-of-week, weekend, or business day.
  • Calculate total days until end of week, month, or year.

Special Utilities

  • Calculate age from birth date.
  • Estimate vacation or business days between ranges.
  • Read dates interactively in specific formats.

Implementation Highlights

  • Wrapper Design: The class serves as an OOP wrapper over Dates.h, giving a user-friendly object model while preserving the full power of the namespace functions.
  • Smart Constructors: Multiple constructors handle different initialization scenarios, from system defaults to string-based parsing with validation.
  • Property Syntax: Uses __declspec(property) to expose Day, Month, Year, and Format with getter/setter semantics, emulating higher-level language convenience in C++.
  • Seamless Integration: Naturally leverages Strings.h for formatting and Readers.h for input, showing strong modular design.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Implements virtually every date manipulation imaginable—from checking leap years to calculating differences across millennia.

Conclusion

  • Provides a developer-friendly OOP abstraction over a function-heavy date library.
  • Strengthens *code readability and maintainability by wrapping raw functions into class methods.
  • Demonstrates advanced C++ features like property declarations and multiple constructor overloads.
  • Serves as a foundation for real-world calendar, scheduling, and business applications.
  • Highlights a modular ecosystem approach, tying together multiple custom libraries.

How to Use

  1. Download the header file from the section below.
  2. Include it in your C++ project using #include "...", with the appropriate path between the double quotes.
  3. Make sure that you have Dates.h also installed.

Source Code

You can find the source code for this class here.

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