How to put a String(date) into Date (java.util.date)??

Question

hi there
I got a GUI here and I need to read some JMaskedTextFields from it. I put them all into Strings. Now I need to pass them to the search-function, but one of the search arguments is not string. Its Date. I tried to initialize Date with Date(String s) but he doesnt take it. Now Im asking how can I do this the easiest way?
The String has only digits and a . betwenn them, like this: 12.02.1978 and I want to pass this into the Date.
thx for helping :-)

Answer 1

thx
Now I got it so far, it looks like this:
String datumVon = suchen_kriterien_datVon_JMaTextFeld.getText();
String datumBis = suchen_kriterien_datBis_JMaTextFeld.getText();
SimpleDateFormat formatter = new SimpleDateFormat ("dd.MM.yyyy");
ParsePosition pos = new ParsePosition(0);
Date datVon = formatter.parse(datumVon, pos);
Date datBis = formatter.parse(datumBis, pos);
System.out.println(datVon);
System.out.println(datBis);
The Problem is that he only makes the first print when both dates are given. If I only give him the first, so he prints the first. If I give him only the scond, so he prints the second. But when I give him both, he only prints the first!!! why?