code: public static final Date parseExtendedAttributeDate(String value)
     {
        Date result = null;
  
        if (value != null)
        {
           try
           {
              result = DATE_FORMAT.get().parse(value);
           }
  
           catch (ParseException ex)
           {
              // ignore exceptions
           }
        }
  
        return (result);
     }
docs: Parse an extended attribute date value.
  
  @param value string representation
  @return date value