Java Doc for DateFormat.java in  » Internationalization-Localization » icu4j » com » ibm » icu » text » Java Source Code / Java DocumentationJava Source Code and Java Documentation

DateFormat provides many class methods for obtaining default date/time formatters based on the default or a given loacle and a number of formatting styles. The formatting styles include FULL, LONG, MEDIUM, and SHORT. More detail and examples of using these styles are provided in the method descriptions.

DateFormat helps you to format and parse dates for any locale. Your code can be completely independent of the locale conventions for months, days of the week, or even the calendar format: lunar vs. solar.

To format a date for the current Locale, use one of the static factory methods:

 myString = DateFormat.getDateInstance().format(myDate);
 

If you are formatting multiple numbers, it is more efficient to get the format and use it multiple times so that the system doesn't have to fetch the information about the local language and country conventions multiple times.

 DateFormat df = DateFormat.getDateInstance();
 for (int i = 0; i < a.length; ++i) {
 output.println(df.format(myDate[i]) + "; ");
 }
 

To format a number for a different Locale, specify it in the call to getDateInstance().

 DateFormat df = DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.LONG, Locale.FRANCE);
 

You can use a DateFormat to parse also.

 myDate = df.parse(myString);
 

Use getDateInstance to get the normal date format for that country. There are other static factory methods available. Use getTimeInstance to get the time format for that country. Use getDateTimeInstance to get a date and time format. You can pass in different options to these factory methods to control the length of the result; from SHORT to MEDIUM to LONG to FULL. The exact result depends on the locale, but generally:

• SHORT is completely numeric, such as 12.13.52 or 3:30pm
• MEDIUM is longer, such as Jan 12, 1952
• LONG is longer, such as January 12, 1952 or 3:30:32pm
• FULL is pretty completely specified, such as Tuesday, April 12, 1952 AD or 3:30:42pm PST.

You can also set the time zone on the format if you wish. If you want even more control over the format or parsing, (or want to give your users more control), you can try casting the DateFormat you get from the factory methods to a SimpleDateFormat. This will work for the majority of countries; just remember to put it in a try block in case you encounter an unusual one.

You can also use forms of the parse and format methods with ParsePosition and FieldPosition to allow you to

• progressively parse through pieces of a string.
• align any particular field, or find out where it is for selection on the screen.

Synchronization

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired.

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired.

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date/time format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired.

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date/time format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired.

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a time format is desired.
Parameters:
  timeStyle - The type of time format desired.

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a time format is desired.
Parameters:
  timeStyle - The type of time format desired.

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  locale - The locale for which the date format is desired.

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  locale - The locale for which the date format is desired.

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date/time format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  timeStyle - The type of time format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  locale - The locale for which the date/time format is desired.
See Also:   DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a date/time format is desired.
Parameters:
  dateStyle - The type of date format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  timeStyle - The type of time format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  locale - The locale for which the date/time format is desired.
See Also:   DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a time format is desired.
Parameters:
  timeStyle - The type of time format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  locale - The locale for which the time format is desired.
See Also:   DateFormat.getTimeInstance

Note: When this functionality is moved into the core JDK, this method will probably be replaced by a new overload of DateFormat.getInstance .

Parameters:
  cal - The calendar system for which a time format is desired.
Parameters:
  timeStyle - The type of time format desired. This can beDateFormat.SHORT, DateFormat.MEDIUM,etc.
Parameters:
  locale - The locale for which the time format is desired.
See Also:   DateFormat.getTimeInstance

By default, parsing is lenient: If the input is not in the form used by this object's format method but can still be parsed as a date, then the parse succeeds. Clients may insist on strict adherence to the format by calling setLenient(false).
See Also:   DateFormat.setLenient(boolean)
Parameters:
  text - The date/time string to be parsed
Parameters:
  cal - The calendar into which parsed data will be stored.In general, this should be cleared before calling thismethod. If this parse fails, the calendar may stillhave been modified.
Parameters:
  pos - On input, the position at which to start parsing; onoutput, the position at which parsing terminated, or thestart position if the parse failed.

By default, parsing is lenient: If the input is not in the form used by this object's format method but can still be parsed as a date, then the parse succeeds. Clients may insist on strict adherence to the format by calling setLenient(false).
See Also:   DateFormat.setLenient(boolean)
Parameters:
  text - The date/time string to be parsed
Parameters:
  pos - On input, the position at which to start parsing; onoutput, the position at which parsing terminated, or thestart position if the parse failed. A Date, or null if the input could not be parsed