sql*loader and dates

[Quoted] [Quoted] I am loading a date column from a file that does not always have a date. eg.
last_advance_date
20000101
20010303
0
0
20010302

[Quoted] in my control file have coded the following mask for this column (last_advance_date date:

last_advance_date "decode(:last_advance_date,'0',sysdate, to_date(:last_advance_date,'YYYYMMDD'))"

so that when a '0' is found in loaded column it will replace it with SYSDATE. [Quoted] [Quoted] But I am getting the following error :

[Quoted] Record 1: Rejected - Error on table FLMTG1, column LAST_ADVANCE_DATE. ORA-01843: not a valid month

I have also tried defining last_advance_date as varchar2(8) but I get the same error.

[Quoted] any help appreciated.

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