function checkValidDate(dateStr) {
    // dateStr must be of format month day year with either slashes
    // or dashes separating the parts. Some minor changes would have
    // to be made to use day month year or another format.
    // This function returns True if the date is valid.
    var slash1 = dateStr.indexOf("/");
    if (slash1 == -1) { slash1 = dateStr.indexOf("-"); }
    // if no slashes or dashes, invalid date
    if (slash1 == -1) { return false; }
    var dateMonth = dateStr.substring(0, slash1)
    var dateMonthAndYear = dateStr.substring(slash1+1, dateStr.length);
    var slash2 = dateMonthAndYear.indexOf("/");
    if (slash2 == -1) { slash2 = dateMonthAndYear.indexOf("-"); }
    // if not a second slash or dash, invalid date
    if (slash2 == -1) { return false; }
    var dateDay = dateMonthAndYear.substring(0, slash2);
    var dateYear = dateMonthAndYear.substring(slash2+1, dateMonthAndYear.length);
    if ( (dateMonth == "") || (dateDay == "") || (dateYear == "") ) { return false; }
    // if any non-digits in the month, invalid date
    for (var x=0; x < dateMonth.length; x++) {
        var digit = dateMonth.substring(x, x+1);
        if ((digit < "0") || (digit > "9")) { return false; }
    }
    // convert the text month to a number
    var numMonth = 0;
    for (var x=0; x < dateMonth.length; x++) {
        digit = dateMonth.substring(x, x+1);
        numMonth *= 10;
        numMonth += parseInt(digit);
    }
    if ((numMonth <= 0) || (numMonth > 12)) { return false; }
    // if any non-digits in the day, invalid date
    for (var x=0; x < dateDay.length; x++) {
        digit = dateDay.substring(x, x+1);
        if ((digit < "0") || (digit > "9")) { return false; }
    }
    // convert the text day to a number
    var numDay = 0;
    for (var x=0; x < dateDay.length; x++) {
        digit = dateDay.substring(x, x+1);
        numDay *= 10;
        numDay += parseInt(digit);
    }
    if ((numDay <= 0) || (numDay > 31)) { return false; }
    // February can't be greater than 29 (leap year calculation comes later)
    if ((numMonth == 2) && (numDay > 29)) { return false; }
    // check for months with only 30 days
    if ((numMonth == 4) || (numMonth == 6) || (numMonth == 9) || (numMonth == 11)) {
        if (numDay > 30) { return false; }
    }
    // if any non-digits in the year, invalid date
    for (var x=0; x < dateYear.length; x++) {
        digit = dateYear.substring(x, x+1);
        if ((digit < "0") || (digit > "9")) { return false; }
    }
    // convert the text year to a number
    var numYear = 0;
    for (var x=0; x < dateYear.length; x++) {
        digit = dateYear.substring(x, x+1);
        numYear *= 10;
        numYear += parseInt(digit);
    }
    // Year must be a 2-digit year or a 4-digit year
    if ( (dateYear.length != 2) && (dateYear.length != 4) ) { return false; }
    // if 2-digit year, use 50 as a pivot date
    if ( (numYear < 50) && (dateYear.length == 2) ) { numYear += 2000; }
    if ( (numYear < 100) && (dateYear.length == 2) ) { numYear += 1900; }
    if ((numYear <= 0) || (numYear > 9999)) { return false; }
    // check for leap year if the month and day is Feb 29
    if ((numMonth == 2) && (numDay == 29)) {
        var div4 = numYear % 4;
        var div100 = numYear % 100;
        var div400 = numYear % 400;
        // if not divisible by 4, then not a leap year so Feb 29 is invalid
        if (div4 != 0) { return false; }
        // at this point, year is divisible by 4. So if year is divisible by
        // 100 and not 400, then it's not a leap year so Feb 29 is invalid
        if ((div100 == 0) && (div400 != 0)) { return false; }
    }
    // date is valid
    return true;
}