# Weird substr issue

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/weird-substr-issue/190537>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [June 12, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/weird-substr-issue/190537 "2006-06-12T19:34:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![freddiemiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@freddiemiles](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/freddiemiles)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/weird-substr-issue/190537/1 "2006-06-12T19:34:05Z")

</div>

```auto

var pinDate:String = new String(); 
pinDate = startDates[j]; // Fake value here like "12/12/2009" will work.
trace ("pin's date: "+pinDate); // returns in form of 09/12/1989
var pinYear:String = new String();
pinYear = pinDate.substr(6,4); // not working!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!

```

Won’t grab my substring.  
I’ve tried using \<i\>substring\</i\> and a bunch of other stuff. Still returns undefined. Using Flash 8. startDates returns “09/01/1880, 12/12/1899, etc.” Any ideas??