DateFormat

java.lang.Object
- java.text.DateFormat

Direct Known Subclasses:

SimpleDateFormat
```
public abstract class DateFormat
extends Object
```
DateFormat is an abstract class for date/time formatting subclasses which formats and parses dates or time in a language-independent manner. The date/time formatting subclass, such as SimpleDateFormat, allows for formatting (i.e., date → text), parsing (text → date), and normalization. The date is represented as a Date object or as the milliseconds since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.
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 dates, 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.
```
 {
        @code
        DateFormat df = DateFormat.getDateInstance();
        for (int i = 0; i < myDate.length; ++i) {
                output.println(df.format(myDate[i]) + "; ");
        }
 }
 
```
```
 {
        @code
        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.
Synchronization

Date formats are not synchronized. It is recommended to create separate format instances for each thread. If multiple threads access a format concurrently, it must be synchronized externally.
Author:

Mark Davis, Chen-Lieh Huang, Alan Liu

See Also:

SimpleDateFormat, Calendar, TimeZone

Field Summary

Fields
Modifier and Type	Field and Description
`protected Calendar`	`calendar` The `Calendar` instance used for calculating the date-time fields and the instant of time.
`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.

Constructor Summary

Constructors
Modifier Constructor and Description

protected DateFormat()
Create a new date format.

Constructors
Modifier	Constructor and Description
`protected`	`DateFormat()` Create a new date format.

Method Summary

All Methods Static Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
Modifier and Type	Method and Description
`abstract String`	`format(Date date)` Formats a Date into a date/time string.
`Calendar`	`getCalendar()` Gets the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.
`static DateFormat`	`getDateInstance()` Gets the date formatter with the default formatting style.
`static DateFormat`	`getDateInstance(int style)` Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style.
`static DateFormat`	`getDateTimeInstance()` Gets the date/time formatter with the default formatting style.
`static DateFormat`	`getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle, int timeStyle)` Gets the date/time formatter with the given date and time formatting styles.
`static DateFormat`	`getInstance()` Get a default date/time formatter that uses the SHORT style for both the date and the time.
`static DateFormat`	`getTimeInstance()` Gets the time formatter with the default formatting style.
`static DateFormat`	`getTimeInstance(int style)` Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style.
`void`	`setCalendar(Calendar newCalendar)` Set the calendar to be used by this date format.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

- Field Detail
  - calendar
```
protected Calendar calendar
```
    The Calendar instance used for calculating the date-time fields and the instant of time. This field is used for both formatting and parsing.
  - DEFAULT
```
public static final int DEFAULT
```
    Constant for default style pattern. Its value is MEDIUM.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
  - FULL
```
public static final int FULL
```
    Constant for full style pattern.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
  - LONG
```
public static final int LONG
```
    Constant for long style pattern.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
  - MEDIUM
```
public static final int MEDIUM
```
    Constant for medium style pattern.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
  - SHORT
```
public static final int SHORT
```
    Constant for short style pattern.
    
    See Also:
    
    Constant Field Values
- Constructor Detail
  - DateFormat
```
protected DateFormat()
```
    Create a new date format.
- Method Detail
  - format
```
public abstract String format(Date date)
```
    Formats a Date into a date/time string.
    
    Parameters:
    
    date - the time value to be formatted into a time string.
    
    Returns:
    
    the formatted time string.
  - getCalendar
```
public Calendar getCalendar()
```
    Gets the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.
    
    Returns:
    
    the calendar associated with this date/time formatter.
  - getDateInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getDateInstance()
```
    Gets the date formatter with the default formatting style.
    
    Returns:
    
    a date formatter.
  - getDateInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getDateInstance(int style)
```
    Gets the date formatter with the given formatting style.
    
    Parameters:
    
    style - the given formatting style. For example, SHORT for "M/d/yy".
    
    Returns:
    
    a date formatter.
  - getDateTimeInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getDateTimeInstance()
```
    Gets the date/time formatter with the default formatting style.
    
    Returns:
    
    a date/time formatter.
  - getDateTimeInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getDateTimeInstance(int dateStyle,
                                                   int timeStyle)
```
    Gets the date/time formatter with the given date and time formatting styles.
    
    Parameters:
    
    dateStyle - the given date formatting style. For example, SHORT for "M/d/yy".
    
    timeStyle - the given time formatting style. For example, SHORT for "h:mm a".
    
    Returns:
    
    a date/time formatter.
  - getInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getInstance()
```
    Get a default date/time formatter that uses the SHORT style for both the date and the time.
    
    Returns:
    
    a date/time formatter
  - getTimeInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getTimeInstance()
```
    Gets the time formatter with the default formatting style.
    
    Returns:
    
    a time formatter.
  - getTimeInstance
```
public static final DateFormat getTimeInstance(int style)
```
    Gets the time formatter with the given formatting style.
    
    Parameters:
    
    style - the given formatting style. For example, SHORT for "h:mm a".
    
    Returns:
    
    a time formatter.
  - setCalendar
```
public void setCalendar(Calendar newCalendar)
```
    Set the calendar to be used by this date format. Initially, the default calendar.
    
    Parameters:
    
    newCalendar - the new Calendar to be used by the date format

Class DateFormat

Synchronization

Field Summary

Constructor Summary

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

Field Detail

calendar

DEFAULT

FULL

LONG

MEDIUM

SHORT

Constructor Detail

DateFormat

Method Detail

format

getCalendar

getDateInstance

getDateInstance

getDateTimeInstance

getDateTimeInstance

getInstance

getTimeInstance

getTimeInstance

setCalendar