SimpleDateFormat class helps in formatting and parsing of data. We can change date from one format to other. It allows to user to interpret string date format into a Date object. We can modify Date accordingly, we want.
Declaration :
public class SimpleDateFormat extends DateFormat
Constructors :
- SimpleDateFormat(String pattern_arg) : Constructs a Simple Date Format using the given pattern – pattern_arg, default date format symbols for the default FORMAT locale.
- SimpleDateFormat(String pattern_arg, Locale locale_arg) : Constructs a Simple Date Format using the given pattern – pattern_arg, default date format symbols for the given FORMAT Locale – locale_arg.
- SimpleDateFormat(String pattern_arg, DateFormatSymbols formatSymbols) : Constructs a SimpleDateFormat using the given pattern – pattern_arg and date format symbols.
Java Program illustrating SimpleDateFormat class
Java
// Java Program illustrating SimpleDateFormat classimport java.text.*;import java.util.*;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat("dd / MM / yy"); // Creating instance of the System date Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); System.out.println("Present Date : " + c.getTime()); // Formatting Date according "dd / MM / yy" String formattedDate = geek.format(c.getTime()); System.out.println("Date formatted : "+formattedDate); }} |
Output:
Present Date : Wed Jun 21 18:21:13 IST 2017 Date formatted : 21 / 06 / 17
Methods :
1. set2DigitYearStart() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.set2DigitYearStart(Date starting_Date) parses the date and set the date in the range starting_Date to starting_Date + 100 years.
Syntax :
public void set2DigitYearStart(Date starting_Date) Parameters : starting_Date : Date is set in the range - starting_Date to starting_Date + 100 years Return : Returns void
Java
// Java Program illustrating// use of set2DigitYearStart() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat("MM / dd / yy"); try { Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); c.setTime(geek.parse("10 / 27 / 16")); System.out.println("Initial Time : "+c.getTime()); // Setting 1916 instead of 2016 // Use of set2DigitYearStart() method geek.set2DigitYearStart(geek.parse("01 / 01 / 1900")); c.setTime(geek.parse("06 / 12 / 16")); System.out.println("New Time : "+c.getTime()); } catch (ParseException except) { except.printStackTrace(); } }} |
Output :
Initial Time : Thu Oct 27 00:00:00 IST 2016 New Time : Mon Jun 12 00:00:00 IST 1916
2. get2DigitYearStart() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.get2DigitYearStart() returns start of 100 year period that was set during parsing.
Syntax :
public void get2DigitYearStart() Parameters : ----- Return : Returns start of 100 year period that was set during parsing.
Implementation :
Java
// Java Program illustrating// use of get2DigitYearStart() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat("MM / dd / yy"); try { Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); c.setTime(geek.parse("10 / 27 / 16")); System.out.println("Initial Time : "+c.getTime()); // Setting 1916 instead of 2016 // Use of set2DigitYearStart() method geek.set2DigitYearStart(geek.parse("01 / 01 / 1900")); // Start Year is 1990. c.setTime(geek.parse("06 / 12 / 16")); System.out.println("New Time : "+c.getTime()); // Use of get2DigitYearStart() method to check start year c.setTime(geek.get2DigitYearStart()); System.out.println("START Year : "+c.get(Calendar.YEAR)); } catch (ParseException except) { except.printStackTrace(); } }} |
Output :
Initial Time : Thu Oct 27 00:00:00 IST 2016 New Time : Mon Jun 12 00:00:00 IST 1916 START Year : 1900
3. toPattern() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.toPattern() returns pattern of the Date format.
Syntax :
public String toPattern() Parameters : ----- Return : Returns pattern of the Date format.
Java
// Java Program illustrating use of toPattern() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat(); // Initializing Calendar object Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); // getting Current Date String dateToday = geek.format(c.getTime()); System.out.println("Current Date : "+dateToday); // Use of toPattern() method // Printing Date Pattern System.out.println("Date Pattern : "+geek.toPattern()); }} |
Output :
Current Date : 6/21/17 6:24 PM Date Pattern : M/d/yy h:mm a
4. parse() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.parse() parses text from a string to form Date. It is specified by parse in class SimpleDateFormat.
Syntax :
public Date parse() Parameters : ----- Return : Returns Date parsed from a string.
Java
// Java Program illustrating// use of parse() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat("MM / dd / yy"); try { Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); // Use of .parse() method to parse Date From String 's' String s = "10 / 27 / 16" ; c.setTime(geek.parse(s)); System.out.println("Time parsed from String : "+c.getTime()); } catch (ParseException except) { except.printStackTrace(); } }} |
Output :
Time parsed from String : Thu Oct 27 00:00:00 IST 2016
5. applyPattern() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.applyPattern(String arg) is used to set a defined pattern to the Date Format.
Syntax :
public void applyPattern(String arg) Parameters : arg : defined pattern to be set to the Date Format. Return : Void
Implementation :
Java
// Java Program illustrating// use of applyPattern() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat(); // Initializing calendar Object Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); // Using 'arg' pattern String arg = "dd / MM / yyyy HH:mm Z"; // Use of applyPattern() method to set date to 'arg' format geek.applyPattern(arg); // current date and time String currentdate = geek.format(c.getTime()); System.out.println("Current Date : "+currentdate); // Print the pattern being used System.out.println("Pattern applied : "+geek.toPattern()); }} |
Output :
Current Date : 21 / 06 / 2017 18:25 +0530 Pattern applied : dd / MM / yyyy HH:mm Z
6. format() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.format(Date arg) changes Date or Time to string.
Syntax :
public final String format(Date arg) Parameters : arg : Date to be formatted to String Return : Formatted String of Date
Java
// Java Program illustrating// use of format() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat(); // Initializing calendar Object Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); System.out.println("Actual Date : "+c.getTime()); // Use of format() method to format Date to String String currentdate = geek.format(c.getTime()); System.out.println("Formatted Date to String : "+currentdate); }} |
Output :
Actual Date : Wed Jun 21 18:25:50 IST 2017 Formatted Date to String : 6/21/17 6:25 PM
7. toLocalizedPattern() : java.text.SimpleDateFormat.toLocalizedPattern() returns Date pattern String of the Date Formatter.
Syntax :
public String toLocalizedPattern() Parameters : ------ Return : Date pattern String used in the formatter
Java
// Java Program illustrating// use of toLocalizedPattern() methodimport java.text.*;import java.util.Calendar;public class NewClass{ public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException { // Date Formatter SimpleDateFormat geek = new SimpleDateFormat(); // Initializing calendar Object Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(); System.out.println("Date : " + geek.format(c.getTime())); // Use of format() method to format Date to String System.out.println("Pattern in DateFormater 'geek' :" + geek.toLocalizedPattern()); }} |
Output :
Date : 6/21/17 6:27 PM Pattern in DateFormater 'geek' : M/d/yy h:mm a
Next: Java.text.SimpleDateFormat class | Set 2
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