docs: def parse_date_range(date, alt_end_date=None):
      """
      Parse input `date` string in free-text format for four-digit long groups.
  
      Args:
          date (str): Input containing years.
  
      Returns:
          tuple: ``(from, to)`` as four-digit strings.
      """
      NOT_ENDED = "9999"
      all_years = re.findall(r"\d{4}", date)
  
      if alt_end_date:
          NOT_ENDED = alt_end_date
  
      if not all_years:
          return "****", NOT_ENDED
  
      elif len(all_years) == 1:
          return all_years[0], NOT_ENDED
  
      return all_years[0], all_years[1]