DataFormat class
DateFormat is an abstract class for date/time formatting.
DateFormat is an abstract class that provides the ability to format and parse dates and times.
The getDateInstance( ) method returns an instance of DateFormat that can format date information.
It is available in these forms:
static final DateFormat getDateInstance( )
static final DateFormat getDateInstance(int style)
static final DateFormat getDateInstance(int style, Locale locale)
The argument style is one of the following values: DEFAULT, SHORT, MEDIUM, LONG, or FULL. These are int constants defined by DateFormat.
The argument locale is one of the static references defined by Locale. If the style and/or locale is not specified, defaults are used.
format( ) method has several overloaded forms, one of which is shown here:
final String format(Date d)
The argument is a Date object that is to be displayed. The method returns a string containing the formatted information.
// Demonstrate date formats.
import java.text.DateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Locale;
public class Main {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Date date = new Date();
DateFormat df;
df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT, Locale.JAPAN);
System.out.println("Japan: " + df.format(date));
df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.MEDIUM, Locale.KOREA);
System.out.println("Korea: " + df.format(date));
df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.UK);
System.out.println("United Kingdom: " + df.format(date));
df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.FULL, Locale.US);
System.out.println("United States: " + df.format(date));
}
}
The getTimeInstance( ) method returns an instance of DateFormat that can format time information. It is available in these versions:
static final DateFormat getTimeInstance( )
static final DateFormat getTimeInstance(int style)
static final DateFormat getTimeInstance(int style, Locale locale)
The argument style is one of the following values: DEFAULT, SHORT, MEDIUM, LONG, or FULL. These are int constants defined by DateFormat.
The argument locale is one of the static references defined by Locale. If the style and/or locale is not specified, defaults are used.
Useful contants
static int AM_PM_FIELD- Useful constant for AM_PM field alignment.
static int DATE_FIELD- Useful constant for DATE field alignment.
static int DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD- Useful constant for DAY_OF_WEEK field alignment.
static int DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD- Useful constant for DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH field alignment.
static int DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD- Useful constant for DAY_OF_YEAR field alignment.
static int ERA_FIELD- Useful constant for ERA field alignment.
static int HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD- Useful constant for zero-based HOUR_OF_DAY field alignment.
static int HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD- Useful constant for one-based HOUR_OF_DAY field alignment.
static int HOUR0_FIELD- Useful constant for zero-based HOUR field alignment.
static int HOUR1_FIELD- Useful constant for one-based HOUR field alignment.
static int MILLISECOND_FIELD- Useful constant for MILLISECOND field alignment.
static int MINUTE_FIELD- Useful constant for MINUTE field alignment.
static int MONTH_FIELD- Useful constant for MONTH field alignment.
static int SECOND_FIELD- Useful constant for SECOND field alignment.
static int TIMEZONE_FIELD- Useful constant for TIMEZONE field alignment.
static int WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD- Useful constant for WEEK_OF_MONTH field alignment.
static int WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD- Useful constant for WEEK_OF_YEAR field alignment.
static int YEAR_FIELD- Useful constant for YEAR field alignment.
static int DEFAULT- Constant for default style pattern.
static int FULL- Constant for full style pattern.
static int LONG- Constant for long style pattern.
static int MEDIUM- Constant for medium style pattern.
static int SHORT- Constant for short style pattern.
Format a date
String format(Date date)- Formats a Date into a date/time string.
StringBuffer format(Object obj, StringBuffer toAppendTo, FieldPosition fieldPosition)- Overrides Format.
Create new DateFormat instance
Calendar getCalendar()- Gets the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.
static DateFormat getDateInstance()- Gets the date formatter with the default formatting style for the default locale.
static DateFormat getDateInstance(int style)- Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style for the default locale.
static DateFormat getDateInstance(int style, Locale aLocale)- Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale.
static DateFormat getDateTimeInstance()- Gets the date/time formatter with the default formatting style for the default locale.
static DateFormat getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle, int timeStyle)- Gets the date/time formatter with the given date and time formatting styles for the default locale.
static DateFormat getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle, int timeStyle, Locale aLocale)- Gets the date/time formatter with the given formatting styles for the given locale.
static DateFormat getInstance()- Get a default date/time formatter that uses the SHORT style for both the date and the time.
NumberFormat getNumberFormat()- Gets the number formatter which this date/time formatter uses to format and parse a time.
static DateFormat getTimeInstance()- Gets the time formatter with the default formatting style for the default locale.
static DateFormat getTimeInstance(int style)- Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style for the default locale.
static DateFormat getTimeInstance(int style, Locale aLocale)- Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style for the given locale.
TimeZone getTimeZone()- Gets the time zone.
Get all locales
static Locale[] getAvailableLocales()- Returns an array of all locales for which the get*Instance methods of this class can return localized instances.
Is date/time parsed lenient
boolean isLenient()- Tell whether date/time parsing is to be lenient.
Parse string to get Date
Date parse(String source)- Parses text from the beginning of the given string to produce a date.
Object parseObject(String source, ParsePosition pos)- Parses text from a string to produce a Date.
Change the date formatter
void setCalendar(Calendar newCalendar)- Set the calendar to be used by this date format.
void setLenient(boolean lenient)- Specify whether or not date/time parsing is to be lenient.
void setNumberFormat(NumberFormat newNumberFormat)- Allows you to set the number formatter.
void setTimeZone(TimeZone zone)- Sets the time zone for the calendar of this DateFormat object.
Revised from Open JDK source code