def old_to_s(format = :default)
      format = FORMATS[format] if format.is_a?(Symbol)

      result = format.dup
      FORMAT_METHODS.each_pair do |key, value|
        result.gsub!( key, value.call( self )) if result.include? key
      end

      # Remove any leading "/-," chars.
      # Remove double white spaces.
      # Remove any duplicate "/-," chars and replace with the single char.
      # Remove any trailing "/-," chars.
      # Anything else - you're on your own ;-)
      lead_trim = (year != 0 && format.lstrip.start_with?("%Y")) ? /\A[\/\,\s]+/ : /\A[\/\,\-\s]+/ 
        result = result.gsub(lead_trim, '').gsub(/\s\s/, ' ').gsub(/[\/\-\,]([\/\-\,])/, '\1').gsub(/[\/\,\-\s]+\z/, '')
    end
def old_to_s(format = :default)
      format = FORMATS[format] if format.is_a?(Symbol)

      result = format.dup
      FORMAT_METHODS.each_pair do |key, value|
        result.gsub!( key, value.call( self )) if result.include? key
      end

      # Remove any leading "/-," chars.
      # Remove double white spaces.
      # Remove any duplicate "/-," chars and replace with the single char.
      # Remove any trailing "/-," chars.
      # Anything else - you're on your own ;-)
      lead_trim = (year != 0 && format.lstrip.start_with?("%Y")) ? /\A[\/\,\s]+/ : /\A[\/\,\-\s]+/ 
        result = result.gsub(lead_trim, '').gsub(/\s\s/, ' ').gsub(/[\/\-\,]([\/\-\,])/, '\1').gsub(/[\/\,\-\s]+\z/, '')
    end
Here for the moment for benchmark comparisons