public final void setStartDate(Date startDate) {
                if (this.startDate == null || !this.startDate.equals(startDate)) {
                        if (startDate != null && endDate != null && endDate.before(startDate)) {
                                throw new ParameterException("The start date must be before the end date of the filter.");
                        }
                        this.startDate = startDate;
                        setChanged();
                        notifyObservers();
                }
        }
public final void setStartDate ( Date startDate ) { if ( this . startDate == null || ! this . startDate . equals ( startDate ) ) { if ( startDate != null && endDate != null && endDate . before ( startDate ) ) { throw new ParameterException ( "The start date must be before the end date of the filter." ) ; } this . startDate = startDate ; setChanged ( ) ; notifyObservers ( ) ; } }
Sets the start date.

@param startDate