From: Jim Starkey
Date: October 17 2008 4:35pm
Subject: MYSQL_TYPE_YEAR
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Here is the server code that handles the type:

    longlong Field_year::val_int(void)
    {
      ASSERT_COLUMN_MARKED_FOR_READ;
      int tmp= (int) ptr[0];
      if (field_length != 4)
        tmp%=100;                    // Return last 2 char
      else if (tmp)
        tmp+=1900;
      return (longlong) tmp;
    }

This is easily the stupidest type I've had the displeasure to run into.  
One type, two inconsistent sets of semantics.  Given the actual year of 
2008, one will return 08, the other 2008.  In either case, hower, an 
indexed search will give 2008 as a key.

What a mess!

I suggest that StorageInterface::encodeRecord and ::decodeRecord do 
their own handling using the field->ptr and do a translation into/from 
normal years.

-- 
Jim Starkey
President, NimbusDB, Inc.
978 526-1376