title: JSTL - How to parse input date
body: <p>I have a date input field in my jsp like this:</p>
  
  <p><code>&lt;form:input name="inputDate" id="inputDate" value="" path="date"/&gt;</code></p>
  
  <p>This form is mapped to a <code>@ModelAttribute</code> <code>account</code> which has the date defined like this:</p>
  
  <p><code>private java.util.Date date ;</code></p>
  
  <p>When I submit the form, I get an error (of course) that says:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Failed to convert property value of type java.lang.String to required
    type java.util.Date ...</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Please suggest a way I can parse <code>date</code> in the JSP itself, so that the <code>@ModelAttribute</code> can directly set the <code>date</code> field with the value</p>