private Date readDateValue(ByteBuffer buffer){
  long dateBits=buffer.getLong();
  long time=fromDateDouble(Double.longBitsToDouble(dateBits));
  return new DateExt(time,dateBits);
}

private Date readDateValue ( ByteBuffer buffer ) { long dateBits = buffer . getLong ( ) ; long time = fromDateDouble ( Double . longBitsToDouble ( dateBits ) ) ; return new DateExt ( time , dateBits ) ; }
decodes a date value .
