Use the "ifdate" command in situations where you simply want to know whether a date field is within a certain range of date values.
The "ifdate" syntax is:
%%
ifdate tablename.datefield
yyyy/mm/dd yyyy/mm/dd "content1"
yyyy/mm/dd yyyy/mm/dd "content2"
. . .
%%
Here is what it's doing: for each individual recipient, the command looks in the table tablenamefor the field datefield. If the field's date value is between the first condition's two date values (in the format yyyy/mm/dd), the command prints content1 and ends the script. If the field's date value is between the second condition's two date values, the command prints content2, and so on. (You can have as many date--content groupings as you like -- but make sure each value has a content result.) If the field is not equal to any of the values, the script prints defaultcontent.
Example 1
You want to insert an introductory line in your monthly text newsletter thanking customers who joined your list recently or long ago.
Newsletter for July 1, 2002
%%
ifdate members_.DateJoined_
2002/06/01 2002/07/01
1995/01/ 1999/12/31
"
%%Dear...
Note that we inserted a inserted a line break after the special message, so that the thank you would appear on a line of its own.
Joe, who joined in the last month, would see:
Newsletter for July 1, 2002
WELCOME NEW CUSTOMERS!
Dear...
Dennis, who joined in 1998, would see:
Newsletter for July 1, 2002
THANKS VETERAN CUSTOMERS!
Dear...
Tenzing, who joined in 2000, would see:
Newsletter for July 1, 2002
Dear...