DATE

 DATE (buf)

 Class:  Subroutine

 Returns the current date as set within the system.  The date is
 returned as a 9-byte ASCII character string as follows:

   dd-mmm-yy

 The "buf" is a 9-byte variable, array, array element, or character
 substring.  If "buf" is numeric type and smaller than 9 bytes, data
 corruption can occur.

 If "buf" is character type, its associated length is passed to the
 subroutine.  If "buf" is smaller than 9 bytes, the subroutine
 truncates the date to fit in the specified length.  If a CHARACTER
 array is passed, the subroutine stores the date in the first array
 element, using the element length, not the length of the entire
 array.  For example, consider the following:

 CHARACTER*1 DAY(9)
 ...
 CALL DATE(DAY)

 The length of the first array element in CHARACTER array DAY is
 passed to the DATE subroutine.  The subroutine then truncates the
 date to fit into the one-character element, producing an incorrect
 result.