Bug 118644 Hint for Date Time Parameters
The hint you give for date time parameters (Please enter date ... pattern: MM/DD/YYYY ....) is only true if the date is unformatted. If you apply a format, you must enter it according to it. So it's quite confusing!
UI/org.eclipse.birt.report.designer.ui/src/org/eclipse/birt/report/designer/ui/dialogs/ParameterDialog.java
displayTextChooser.removeAll( );
			displayTextChooser.add( NONE_DISPLAY_TEXT );
			for ( int i = 0; i < cachedColumns.length; i++ )
			{
				displayTextChooser.add( cachedColumns[i].getName( ) );
			}
			displayTextChooser.setText( NONE_DISPLAY_TEXT );
		}
		String originalSelection = columnChooser.getText( );
		columnChooser.removeAll( );
		for ( int i = 0; i < cachedColumns.length; i++ )
		{
			if ( matchDataType( cachedColumns[i] ) )
			{
				columnChooser.add( cachedColumns[i].getName( ) );
			}
		}
		if ( columnChooser.indexOf( originalSelection ) != -1 )
		{
			columnChooser.setText( originalSelection );
		}
		else if ( columnChooser.getItemCount( ) > 0 )
		{
			columnChooser.select( 0 );
		}
		columnChooser.setEnabled( columnChooser.getItemCount( ) > 0 );
		updateMessageLine( );
	}
	private boolean matchDataType( DataSetItemModel column )
	{