Date/Time format strings

 

Date-Time Format Strings specify the formatting of date-time values when they are converted to strings. Date-Time Format Strings are passed to formatting routines, and are also used to set certain global variables.

 

Date Time Format Strings are composed from specifiers that represent values to be inserted into the formatted string. Some specifiers (such as "d"), simply format numbers or strings. Other specifiers (such as "/") refer to locale-specific strings from global variables.

 

In the following table, specifiers are given in lower case. Case is ignored in formats, except for the "am/pm" and "a/p" specifiers.

 

SpecifierDisplays
cDisplays the date using the format given by the ShortDateFormat global variable, followed by the time using the format given by the LongTimeFormat global variable. The time is not displayed if the date-time value indicates midnight precisely.
dDisplays the day as a number without a leading zero (1-31).
ddDisplays the day as a number with a leading zero (01-31).
dddDisplays the day as an abbreviation (Sun-Sat) using the strings given by the ShortDayNames global variable.
ddddDisplays the day as a full name (Sunday-Saturday) using the strings given by the LongDayNames global variable.
dddddDisplays the date using the format given by the ShortDateFormat global variable.
ddddddDisplays the date using the format given by the LongDateFormat global variable.
e(Windows only) Displays the year in the current period/era as a number without a leading zero (Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese locales only).
ee(Windows only) Displays the year in the current period/era as a number with a leading zero (Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese locales only).
g(Windows only) Displays the period/era as an abbreviation (Japanese and Taiwanese locales only).
gg(Windows only) Displays the period/era as a full name. (Japanese and Taiwanese locales only).
mDisplays the month as a number without a leading zero (1-12). If the m specifier immediately follows an h or hh specifier, the minute rather than the month is displayed.
mmDisplays the month as a number with a leading zero (01-12). If the mm specifier immediately follows an h or hh specifier, the minute rather than the month is displayed.
mmmDisplays the month as an abbreviation (Jan-Dec) using the strings given by the ShortMonthNames global variable.
mmmmDisplays the month as a full name (January-December) using the strings given by the LongMonthNames global variable.
yyDisplays the year as a two-digit number (00-99).
yyyyDisplays the year as a four-digit number (0000-9999).
hDisplays the hour without a leading zero (0-23).
hhDisplays the hour with a leading zero (00-23).
nDisplays the minute without a leading zero (0-59).
nnDisplays the minute with a leading zero (00-59).
sDisplays the second without a leading zero (0-59).
ssDisplays the second with a leading zero (00-59).
zDisplays the millisecond without a leading zero (0-999).
zzzDisplays the millisecond with a leading zero (000-999).
tDisplays the time using the format given by the ShortTimeFormat global variable.
ttDisplays the time using the format given by the LongTimeFormat global variable.
am/pmUses the 12-hour clock for the preceding h or hh specifier, and displays 'am' for any hour before noon, and 'pm' for any hour after noon. The am/pm specifier can use lower, upper, or mixed case, and the result is displayed accordingly.
a/pUses the 12-hour clock for the preceding h or hh specifier, and displays 'a' for any hour before noon, and 'p' for any hour after noon. The a/p specifier can use lower, upper, or mixed case, and the result is displayed accordingly.
ampmUses the 12-hour clock for the preceding h or hh specifier, and displays the contents of the TimeAMString global variable for any hour before noon, and the contents of the TimePMString global variable for any hour after noon.
/Displays the date separator character given by the DateSeparator global variable.
:Displays the time separator character given by the TimeSeparator global variable.
'xx'/"xx"Characters enclosed in single or double quotes are displayed as-is, and do not affect formatting.

 


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