      REAL*8 FUNCTION CONVERT(XVAL)
      CHARACTER*10 VALUE
      REAL*8 DEC
C
C GET START AND STOP TIMES
C CONVERT CONCATENATED DATE INTO DECIMAL YEAR
C
      IVAL = INT(XVAL)
      WRITE(VALUE,'(I7)') IVAL
      READ(VALUE,'(I2,I3.3,I2.2)') IY,ID,IH
      CONVERT = DEC(IY,ID,IH)
      RETURN
      END
