private static synchronized Date parseDateString(String textRepresentation) throws ParseException {
  try {
    return sdfDefault.parse(textRepresentation);
  }
 catch (  ParseException ex) {
    return sdfGnuStep.parse(textRepresentation);
  }
}

private static synchronized Date parseDateString ( String textRepresentation ) throws ParseException { try { return sdfDefault . parse ( textRepresentation ) ; } catch ( ParseException ex ) { return sdfGnuStep . parse ( textRepresentation ) ; } }
parses the xml date string and creates a java date object from it . this function is synchronized as simpledateformat is not thread - safe .
