/**
     * Don't use *Util classes as they are deemed to have throw away code
     */
    public class DateUtil
    {
        private static final DateFormat ddMMyyyyDashed = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy");
        private static final DateFormat yyyyMMddDashed = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
        private static final DateFormat ddMMyyyySlashed = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy");
        private static final DateFormat yyyyMMddSlashed = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd");
         
        public static Date textToDate(String text) 
        {
            Date date = null;
     
            try {
                date = ddMMyyyyDashed.parse(text);
            } catch (java.text.ParseException e) {
            }
     
            try {
                date = yyyyMMddDashed.parse(text);
            } catch (java.text.ParseException e) {
            }
            try {
                date = ddMMyyyySlashed.parse(text);
            } catch (java.text.ParseException e) {
            }
            try {
                date = yyyyMMddSlashed.parse(text);
            } catch (java.text.ParseException e) {
            }
     
            System.out.println("Date is: " + date);
        return date;            
        }
    }

    /**
     *
     * A date format that can be used to parse a date using a number of 
     * {@link DateFormat}s
     */
    public class CompositeDateFormat
    {
        private static final DateFormat ddMMyyyyDashed = new SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy"){
            {
                this.setLenient(false);
            }
        };
        private static final DateFormat yyyyMMddDashed = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd"){
            {
                this.setLenient(false);
            }
        };
        private static final DateFormat ddMMyyyySlashed = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy"){
            {
                this.setLenient(false);
            }
        };
        private static final DateFormat yyyyMMddSlashed = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy/MM/dd"){
            {
                this.setLenient(false);
            }
        };

        /**
         * @return a new {@link CompositeDateFormat} which will parse any date in
         * <ul>
         *  <li>dd-MM-yyyy</li>
         *  <li>yyyy-MM-dd</li>
         *  <li>dd/MM/yyyy</li>
         *  <li>yyyy/MM/dd</li>
         * </ul>
         * 
         * format
         * 
         * @see #parse(String)
         */
        public static CompositeDateFormat newDateFormat(){
        return newDateFormat(ddMMyyyyDashed, yyyyMMddDashed, ddMMyyyySlashed, yyyyMMddSlashed);
        }
        
        /**
         * Create a new CompositeDateFormat which will parse the dates in the same order as the DateFormat(s) are supplied
         * @param dateformats the date formats to include when parsing a date using
         * this format
         * @return a new {@link CompositeDateFormat} with the specified formats
         */
        public static CompositeDateFormat newDateFormat(DateFormat... dateformats){
        return new CompositeDateFormat(dateformats);
        }     

        private final DateFormat[] dateformats;
        
        /**
         * @param dateformats the date formats to use when parsing a date
         */
        private CompositeDateFormat(DateFormat... dateformats)
        {
            this.dateformats = dateformats;
        }

        /**
         * Will try and parse the source using any of the date formatters.
         * On the first one that succeeds will skip the remaining. 
         * @see DateFormat#parse(String)
         */
        public Date parse(String source) throws ParseException 
        {
            for (DateFormat df : dateformats)
            {
                try {
                    return df.parse(source);
                }
                catch (ParseException e) {
                    //better log this
                }
            }
            
        throw new ParseException("Please make up your mind already ", 0);
        }
    }

    /**
     * A test to come with it
     */
    @RunWith(Theories.class)
    public class CompositeDateFormatTest
    {
        @DataPoints
        public static final String[] DATES = {"05-10-2010", "2010-10-05", "05/10/2010", "2010/10/05"};
        
        @Theory
        public void parse(String source) throws Exception
        {
            CompositeDateFormat newDateFormat = CompositeDateFormat.newDateFormat();
            Date date = newDateFormat.parse(source);
            
            Assert.assertNotNull(date);
        }
        
        @Test(expected=ParseException.class)
        public void parse() throws Exception
        {
            CompositeDateFormat newDateFormat = CompositeDateFormat.newDateFormat();
            newDateFormat.parse("Can't touch this!");
        }
    }