From deefa630ab2f566d7ad9ee5fc04769d58a8f4c23 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jeff Carr <jcarr@wit.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2025 01:54:23 -0500
Subject: pass string back

---
 time.go | 30 +++++++++++++++++++++++++-----
 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/time.go b/time.go
index 3b67554..364f340 100644
--- a/time.go
+++ b/time.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cobol
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
@@ -9,33 +10,49 @@ import (
 
 // you will be happier if you just use this everywhere
 func Time(someTimeAgoOrLaterNotsure any) string {
-	t, err := TimeCheck(someTimeAgoOrLaterNotsure)
+	guess, t, err := TimeCheck(someTimeAgoOrLaterNotsure)
 	if errors.Is(err, Broken) {
+		if len(guess) > 0 {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%-15s", guess)
+		}
 		return "bad"
 	}
 	if errors.Is(err, NoTime) {
+		if len(guess) > 0 {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%-15s", guess)
+		}
 		return "nope"
 	}
+	if len(guess) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%-15s", guess)
+	}
 	return FormatTime(t)
 }
 
 func TimeLocal(someTimeAgoOrLaterNotsure any) string {
-	t, err := TimeCheck(someTimeAgoOrLaterNotsure)
+	guess, t, err := TimeCheck(someTimeAgoOrLaterNotsure)
 	if errors.Is(err, Broken) {
+		if len(guess) > 0 {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%-15s", guess)
+		}
 		return "bad"
 	}
 	if errors.Is(err, NoTime) {
+		if len(guess) > 0 {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%-15s", guess)
+		}
 		return "nope"
 	}
 	return FormatTimeLocal(t)
 }
 
 func GetTime(mightBeTimeMightNotBeTime any) (time.Time, error) {
-	t, err := TimeCheck(mightBeTimeMightNotBeTime)
+	_, t, err := TimeCheck(mightBeTimeMightNotBeTime)
 	return t, err
 }
 
-func TimeCheck(maybeTime any) (time.Time, error) {
+func TimeCheck(maybeTime any) (string, time.Time, error) {
+	var guess string
 	var t time.Time
 	var err error
 
@@ -46,6 +63,9 @@ func TimeCheck(maybeTime any) (time.Time, error) {
 	case string:
 		// The type is string, so 'v' is a string variable.
 		t, err = doTimeString(v)
+		if err != nil {
+			guess = v
+		}
 	case *timestamppb.Timestamp:
 		// If it's a protobuf Timestamp pointer (most common case),
 		// 'v' is a *timestamppb.Timestamp. We must convert it.
@@ -64,5 +84,5 @@ func TimeCheck(maybeTime any) (time.Time, error) {
 	default:
 		err = errors.Join(err, NoTime)
 	}
-	return t, err
+	return guess, t, err
 }
-- 
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