Abstract: Years past 1999 are stored as binary integers in fields previously reserved for representations of years as two decimal digits. The binary integers occupy ranges of values for the fields which are not used by an integer value corresponding to any possible combination of two decimal digits from 00 to 99. In this way, data using integer-encoded years and years represented by the last two decimal digits will be able to coexist for at least ten thousand years.

Abstract: Years past 1999 are stored as binary integers or in other coding schemes not reserved by ASCII or EBCDIC in fields previously reserved for representations of years as two decimal digits. The binary integers occupy ranges of values for the fields which are not used by an integer value corresponding to any possible combination of two decimal digits from 00 to 99. Data written in binary format and data written in a conventional format such as ASCII can be distinguished in various ways, such as by determining whether the year datum has a binary integer value falling inside or outside the range for possible ASCII combinations of two digits, or testing the bit having a place value of 4,096. If this bit is tested, it will always be on (one) for data written in ASCII and off (zero) for all binary integer values from zero through 4,095. In this way, data using integer-encoded years and years represented by the last two decimal digits will be able to coexist for at least ten thousand years.

Abstract: Years past 1999 are stored as binary integers in fields previously reserved for representations of years as two decimal digits. The binary integers occupy ranges of values for the fields which are not used by an integer value corresponding to any possible combination of two decimal digits from 00 to 99. In this way, data using integer-encoded years and years represented by the last two decimal digits will be able to coexist for at least ten thousand years.