private static Date createDate(String dateFormat) {
		
		if (dateFormat == null || dateFormat.trim().equals("")) return new Date();
		
		Date resultDate = null;
		SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy");
		try { resultDate = sdf.parse(dateFormat); }
		catch(Exception e) {
			e.printStackTrace();
			resultDate = new Date(); 
			}
		return resultDate;
	} // end createDate