code: public String dateToString(Date date)
      {
          if (date == null)
              return "";
          try {
              return DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance(DateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.LONG).format(date);
          } catch (Exception ex) {
          }
          return "";
      }
docs: /*
  Convert this date object to a string.
  @param The date or null if unparseable.
  @return strDate the date to parse.