FUNCTION date_range 
	(start_date_in IN DATE, 
	 end_date_in IN DATE,
	 check_time_in IN VARCHAR2 := 'NOTIME')
RETURN VARCHAR2
/*
|| date_range returns a string containing a date range
|| in the format 'BETWEEN x AND y'
||
|| Parameters:
||		start_date_in - The start date of the range. If NULL
||			then use the min_start_date. If that is NULL, range 
||			has form '<= end_date'.
||
||		end_date_in - The end date of the range. If NULL
||			then use the max_end_date. If that is NULL, range has 
||			form '>= start_date'.
||
||		check_time_in - If 'TIME' then use the time component
||			of the dates as part of the comparison.
||			If 'NOTIME' then strip off the time.
*/
IS
	/* String versions of parameters to place in return value */
	start_date_int VARCHAR2(30);
	end_date_int VARCHAR2(30);

	/* Date mask for date<->character conversions. */
	mask_int VARCHAR2(15) := 'MMDDYYYY';

	/* Version of date mask which fits right into date range string */
	mask_string VARCHAR2(30) := NULL;

	/* The return value for the function. */
   return_value VARCHAR2(1000) := NULL;
BEGIN
	/*
	|| Finalize the date mask. If user wants to use time, add that to
	|| the mask. Then set the string version by embedding the mask
	|| in single quotes and with a trailing paranthesis.
	*/
	IF UPPER (check_time_in) = 'TIME'
	THEN 
		mask_int := mask_int || ' HHMISS';
	END IF;
	/*
	|| Convert mask. Example: 
	|| 		If mask is:				MMDDYYYY HHMISS
	|| 		then mask string is: ', 'MMDDYYYY HHMISS')
	*/
	mask_string := ''', ''' || mask_int || ''')';

	/* Now convert the dates to character strings using format mask */
   start_date_int := TO_CHAR (start_date_in, mask_int);
	end_date_int := TO_CHAR (end_date_in, mask_int);

	/* If both start and end are NULL, then return NULL. */
	IF start_date_int IS NULL AND end_date_int IS NULL 
	THEN
		return_value := NULL;

	/* If no start point then return "<=" format. */
	ELSIF start_date_int IS NULL
	THEN
		return_value := '<= TO_DATE (''' || end_date_int || mask_string;

	/* If no end point then return ">=" format. */
	ELSIF end_date_int IS NULL
	THEN
		return_value := '>= TO_DATE (''' || start_date_int || mask_string;

	/* Have start and end. A true range, so just put it together. */
	ELSE
		return_value :=
		  'BETWEEN TO_DATE (''' || start_date_int || mask_string || 
		     ' AND TO_DATE (''' || end_date_int || mask_string; 
	END IF;

	RETURN return_value;

END;