private Date processDate() throws ParseException {
        Date date = null;
        if (commandLine.hasOption(OPTION_DATE)) {
            String dateOptionValue = commandLine.getOptionValue(OPTION_DATE);
            if ("*".equals(dateOptionValue)) {
                date = new Date(0);
            } else {
                date = parseDate(dateOptionValue);
            }
        }
        return date;
    }