code: @Override
      public Object convertUponSet(
                      final Object value
                      )
      {
          Date  date = null;
          if (value != null) {
              try {
                  date = _formatter.parse( (String)value );
              } catch (ParseException p_ex) {
                  throw new IllegalArgumentException( p_ex.getMessage() );
              }
          }
  
          return date;
      }
docs: from String to Date