public static Date parseDate( String s, int pat )
	{
		if( s.equals( "" ) )
		{
			return null;
		}
		//SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat();
		try
		{
			switch( pat )
			{
				case 0xe:
					WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.applyPattern( "dd/MM/yy" );
					return WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.parse( s );

				case 0xf:
					WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.applyPattern( "dd-MMM-yy" );
					return WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.parse( s );

				case 0x10:
					WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.applyPattern( "dd-MMM" );
					return WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.parse( s );

				case 0x11:
					WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.applyPattern( "MMM-yy" );
					return WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.parse( s );

				case 0x16:
					WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.applyPattern( "MM/dd/yy HH:mm" );
					return WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.parse( s );

				default:
					WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.applyPattern( "dd/MM/yyyy" );
					return WorkBookHandle.simpledateformat.parse( s );

			}
		}
		catch( Exception e )
		{
			log.warn( "Failed to parse date " + s + " format pattern: " + pat );
			return Calendar.getInstance().getTime();
		}
	}