here is the whol edamn page. hiding the connection data for self-preservations sake. Thanks for your help
<%
dim strGetTaxInfo, objTaxWeb,x, y, strField, dteStart, dteEnd, strNote
dim strStartMM, strStartDD, strEndDD, strEndMM, strEndYY, strStartYY
%>
<!--#include file=adovbs.inc-->
<%
strEndDD = Request.Form ("EndDD"

'get the end date
strEndMM = Request.Form ("EndMM"

strEndYY = Request.Form ("EndYY"
strStartDD = Request.Form ("StartDD"

'get the start date
strStartMM = Request.Form ("StartMM"

strStartYY = Request.Form ("StartYY"
dteEnd = strEndMM & strEndDD & strEndYY
dteStart = strStartMM & strStartDD & strStartYY
'some validation and checking for the 1st time opening of the form
if not IsDate(dteEnd) and not IsDate (dteStart) then 'if empty then create the form to request the dates
strNote=0
call CreateForm
else
call GetInfo
end if
sub GetInfo()
'create the query
strGetTaxInfo = " select client_code,tax_form, run_flag, last_run_date, send_out_flag, send_out_date "
strGetTaxInfo = strGetTaxInfo & " from tax_status_p_table where tax_year = 2000 and "
if strEnd = StrStart then 'allow for one day
strGetTaxInfo = strGetTaxInfo & " to_char(send_out_date, 'MMDDYYYY') = " & dteStart
else 'date range
strGetTaxInfo = strGetTaxInfo & " to_char(send_out_date, 'MMDDYYYY') >= " & dteStart & " and "
strGetTaxInfo = strGetTaxInfo & " to_char(send_out_date, 'MMDDYYYY') <= " & dteEnd
end if
strGetTaxInfo = strGetTaxInfo & " group by client_code,tax_form, run_flag, last_run_date, send_out_flag, send_out_date"
'set the connection and open that DB for the query
set objTaxWeb = server.createobject("adodb.recordset"
objTaxWeb.open strGetTaxInfo, "connection"
Response.Write "EOF is " & objTaxWeb.EOF & " and BOF is " & objTaxWeb.BOF & "<HR>"
if objTaxWeb.EOF then
strNote = 1
call CreateForm
else
call CreateReport 'call the display function
end if
end sub
sub CreateReport()
y= 1 'set the value to control the colour changes in the cell background
Response.Write "<html><head></HEAD><BODY bgcolor = ""cadetblue"">"
Response.Write "<br><br><center><h1>Tax Slip Status Report</h1></center><br>"
'remind the user of the requested dates for the report
if strStart = strEnd then
Response.Write "You requested the report for the day of <font color = blue>" & dteStart & "</font>"
else
Response.Write "You requested the report for the period from <font color = blue>" & strStart & "</font>"
Response.Write " to <font color = blue>" & dteEnd & "</font>"
end if
'start the table and create the column headers
Response.Write "<br><br><center><table border = 1><th width = 90>Client Code</th><th width = 100>Tax Form</th>"
Response.Write "<th width = 50>Taxes Run</th><th width = 100>Run Date"
Response.Write "</th><th width = 100>Slips Sent Out</th><th width = 100>Date Sent</th>"
'display the results alternating the background colour
do while not objTaxWeb.EOF
if y = 1 then
Response.Write "<tr bgcolor = ""white"">"
for x = 0 to 5 'cycle through the recordet
set strField =nothing
strField = server.HTMLEncode (objTaxWeb(x))
if x = 2 or x = 4 then 'for true / false boolean values print yes/no
if strField = "1" then
Response.Write "<td>Yes</td>"
elseif strField= "0" then
Response.Write "<td>No</td>"
end if
elseif x = 3 or x = 5 then
strField = FormatDate(strField,2) 'format the date output
Response.Write "<td>" & strField & "</td>"
else
Response.Write "<td>" & strField & "</td>"
end if
next
Response.Write "</tr>"
y=0 'set the cycle up for the next colour
else
Response.Write "<tr bgcolor = ""Silver"">"
for x = 0 to 5 'cycle through the recordet
set strField =nothing
strField = server.HTMLEncode (objTaxWeb(x))
if x = 2 or x = 4 then 'for true / false boolean values print yes/no
if strField = "1" then
Response.Write "<td>Yes</td>"
elseif strField= "0" then
Response.Write "<td>No</td>"
end if
elseif x = 3 or x = 5 then
strField = FormatDateTime(strField,2) 'format the date output
Response.Write "<td>" & strField & "</td>"
else
Response.Write "<td>" & strField & "</td>"
end if
next
Response.Write "</tr>"
y=1 'set the cycle up for the next colour
end if
objTaxWeb.MoveNext 'cycle through the recordset
loop
'close the table and the connection to the DB
Response.Write "</table><br><br>"
objTaxWeb.Close
Response.Write "<center><input type = button value = ""Another Report"" OnClick = ""BackOne();"" id=button1 name=button1>"
Response.Write "</BODY>"%>
<script language = javascript>
<!--
function BackOne(){
history.back(-1);
}
-->
</script>
</HTML>
<%
end sub
sub CreateForm()
'create the input form to get the dates for the report
Response.Write "<script language = javascript>" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "<!--" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "function Validate(){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*check for valid start/end days, month year */" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*start day validation*/" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (document.Report.StartDD.value =="""" || document.Report.StartDD.value < 0 || document.Report.StartDD.value >31){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter a VALID number for the Start Day field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.StartDD.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (Report.StartDD.value.length != 2) {" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter two digit number for the Start Day field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.StartDD.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*start monh validation */" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (document.Report.StartMM.value == """" || document.Report.StartMM.value < 0 || document.Report.StartMM.value >12){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter a VALID number for the Month field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.StartMM.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (Report.StartMM.value.length != 2) {" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter two digit number for the Start Month field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.StartMM.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*start year validation */" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (document.Report.StartYY.value == """" ||document.Report.StartYY.value <= 2000){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter a VALID number for the Year field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.StartYY.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (Report.StartYY.value.length != 4) {" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter two digit number for the Start Year field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.StartYY.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*End day validation */" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (document.Report.EndDD.value == """" || document.Report.EndDD.value < 0 || document.Report.EndDD.value >31){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter a VALID number for the End Day field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.EndDD.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (Report.EndDD.value.length != 2) {" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter two digit number for the End Day field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.EndDD.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*End month validation */" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (document.Report.EndMM.value == """" || document.Report.EndMM.value < 0 || document.Report.EndMM.value >12){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter a VALID number for the Month field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.EndMM.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (Report.EndMM.value.length != 2) {" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter two digit number for the End Month field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.EndMM.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "/*End year validation */" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (document.Report.EndYY.value == """" || document.Report.EndYY.value <= 2000 ){" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter a VALID number for the End Year field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.EndYY.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "if (Report.EndYY.value.length != 4) {" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "alert (""Please enter two digit number for the End Year field""

;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "document.Report.EndYY.focus();" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return false;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "return true;" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "}" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "-->" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "</script>" & vbcrlf
Response.Write "<html><head></HEAD><BODY bgcolor = ""cadetblue"">"
Response.Write "<center><h2>Tax Status Page</h2></center><br>"
Response.Write "<form name = Report action = ReportStatus.asp method = post onSubmit = ""return Validate();"">"
Response.Write "<table><tr><td size = 25>Enter Start Date</td><td>"
Response.Write "<input name = StartDD type = text size = 2 maxlength = 2><b>--</b>"
Response.Write "<input name = StartMM type = text size = 2 maxlength = 2><b>--</b>"
Response.Write "<input name = StartYY type = text size = 4 maxlength = 4>"
Response.Write "<tr><td size = 25>Enter End Date</td><td>"
Response.Write "<input name = EndDD type = text size = 2 maxlength = 2><b>--</b>"
Response.Write "<input name = EndMM type = text size = 2 maxlength = 2><b>--</b>"
Response.Write "<input name = EndYY type = text size = 4 maxlength = 4></td>"
Response.Write "<td><input type = submit name = submit value = Submit ></tr></table></form>"
if strNote = 1 then 'warning if start date is greater than end date
Response.Write "<font color = red><h3>No data returned. Please Check your dates." & vbcrlf
Response.Write "End date cannot be less than Start Date</h3></font>"
end if
Response.Write "<br><br><h3><font color = blue>Please input the dates as DD-MM-YYYY</font></h3>"
Response.Write "</BODY></HTML>"
end sub