java.text
Class SimpleDateFormat

java.lang.Object
  |
  +--java.text.Format
        |
        +--java.text.DateFormat
              |
              +--java.text.SimpleDateFormat

All Implemented Interfaces:

Cloneable, Serializable

public class SimpleDateFormat

extends DateFormat

SimpleDateFormat is used to format and parse gregorian calendar dates and times based on a pattern of date and time fields. Each date and time field is specified in the pattern by a specific character. The characters used can be either localized or non-localized. For some fields, which have both numeric and text representations or abbreviated as well as full names, the number of grouped characters specifies how the field is formatted or parsed.

See Also:

Serialized Form

Nested Class Summary

Nested classes inherited from class java.text.DateFormat

DateFormat.Field

Nested classes inherited from class java.text.Format

Format.Field

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class java.text.DateFormat

AM_PM_FIELD, calendar, DATE_FIELD, DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD, DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD, DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD, DEFAULT, ERA_FIELD, FULL, HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD, HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD, HOUR0_FIELD, HOUR1_FIELD, LONG, MEDIUM, MILLISECOND_FIELD, MINUTE_FIELD, MONTH_FIELD, numberFormat, SECOND_FIELD, SHORT, TIMEZONE_FIELD, WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD, WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD, YEAR_FIELD

Constructor Summary

SimpleDateFormat()
Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat for formatting and parsing dates and times in the SHORT style for the default Locale.

SimpleDateFormat(String pattern)
Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat using the specified non-localized pattern and the DateFormatSymbols and Calendar for the default Locale.

SimpleDateFormat(String template, DateFormatSymbols value)
Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat using the specified non-localized pattern and DateFormatSymbols and the Calendar for the default Locale.

SimpleDateFormat(String template, Locale locale)
Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat using the specified non-localized pattern and the DateFormatSymbols and Calendar for the specified Locale.

Method Summary

void	applyLocalizedPattern(String template) Changes the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat to the specified pattern which uses localized pattern characters.
void	applyPattern(String template) Changes the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat to the specified pattern which uses non-localized pattern characters.
Object	clone() Answers a new SimpleDateFormat with the same pattern and properties as this SimpleDateFormat.
boolean	equals(Object object) Compares the specified object to this SimpleDateFormat and answer if they are equal.
StringBuffer	format(Date date, StringBuffer buffer, FieldPosition field) Formats the specified Date into the specified StringBuffer using the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat.
AttributedCharacterIterator	formatToCharacterIterator(Object object) Formats the specified object using the rules of this SimpleDateFormat and returns an AttributedCharacterIterator with the formatted Date and attributes.
Date	get2DigitYearStart() Answers the Date which is the start of the one hundred year period for two digits year values.
DateFormatSymbols	getDateFormatSymbols() Answers the DateFormatSymbols used by this SimpleDateFormat.
int	hashCode() Answers an integer hash code for the receiver.
Date	parse(String string, ParsePosition position) Parse a Date from the specified String starting at the index specified by the ParsePosition.
void	set2DigitYearStart(Date date) Sets the Date which is the start of the one hundred year period for two digits year values.
void	setDateFormatSymbols(DateFormatSymbols value) Sets the DateFormatSymbols used by this SimpleDateFormat.
String	toLocalizedPattern() Answers the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat using localized pattern characters.
String	toPattern() Answers the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat using non-localized pattern characters.

Methods inherited from class java.text.DateFormat

format, format, getAvailableLocales, getCalendar, getDateInstance, getDateInstance, getDateInstance, getDateTimeInstance, getDateTimeInstance, getDateTimeInstance, getInstance, getNumberFormat, getTimeInstance, getTimeInstance, getTimeInstance, getTimeZone, isLenient, parse, parseObject, setCalendar, setLenient, setNumberFormat, setTimeZone

Methods inherited from class java.text.Format

format, parseObject

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

SimpleDateFormat

public SimpleDateFormat()

Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat for formatting and parsing dates and times in the SHORT style for the default Locale.

SimpleDateFormat

public SimpleDateFormat(String pattern)

Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat using the specified non-localized pattern and the DateFormatSymbols and Calendar for the default Locale.

Parameters:

pattern - the pattern

Throws:

NullPointerException - if the pattern is null

IllegalArgumentException - if the pattern is invalid

SimpleDateFormat

public SimpleDateFormat(String template,
                        DateFormatSymbols value)

Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat using the specified non-localized pattern and DateFormatSymbols and the Calendar for the default Locale.

Parameters:

template - the pattern

value - the DateFormatSymbols

Throws:

NullPointerException - if the pattern is null

IllegalArgumentException - if the pattern is invalid

SimpleDateFormat

public SimpleDateFormat(String template,
                        Locale locale)

Constructs a new SimpleDateFormat using the specified non-localized pattern and the DateFormatSymbols and Calendar for the specified Locale.

Parameters:

template - the pattern

locale - the Locale

Throws:

NullPointerException - if the pattern is null

IllegalArgumentException - if the pattern is invalid

Method Detail

applyLocalizedPattern

public void applyLocalizedPattern(String template)

Changes the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat to the specified pattern which uses localized pattern characters.

Parameters:

template - the localized pattern

applyPattern

public void applyPattern(String template)

Changes the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat to the specified pattern which uses non-localized pattern characters.

Parameters:

template - the non-localized pattern

Throws:

NullPointerException - if the pattern is null

IllegalArgumentException - if the pattern is invalid

clone

public Object clone()

Answers a new SimpleDateFormat with the same pattern and properties as this SimpleDateFormat.

Overrides:

clone in class DateFormat

Returns:

a shallow copy of this SimpleDateFormat

See Also:

Cloneable

equals

public boolean equals(Object object)

Compares the specified object to this SimpleDateFormat and answer if they are equal. The object must be an instance of SimpleDateFormat and have the same DateFormat properties, pattern, DateFormatSymbols, and creation year.

Overrides:

equals in class DateFormat

Parameters:

object - the object to compare with this object

Returns:

true if the specified object is equal to this SimpleDateFormat, false otherwise

See Also:

hashCode()

formatToCharacterIterator

public AttributedCharacterIterator formatToCharacterIterator(Object object)

Formats the specified object using the rules of this SimpleDateFormat and returns an AttributedCharacterIterator with the formatted Date and attributes.

Overrides:

formatToCharacterIterator in class Format

Parameters:

object - the object to format

Returns:

an AttributedCharacterIterator with the formatted date and attributes

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - when the object cannot be formatted by this Format

format

public StringBuffer format(Date date,
                           StringBuffer buffer,
                           FieldPosition field)

Formats the specified Date into the specified StringBuffer using the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat. If the field specified by the FieldPosition is formatted, set the begin and end index of the formatted field in the FieldPosition.

Specified by:

format in class DateFormat

Parameters:

date - the Date to format

buffer - the StringBuffer

field - the FieldPosition

Returns:

the StringBuffer parameter buffer

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - when there are invalid characters in the pattern

get2DigitYearStart

public Date get2DigitYearStart()

Answers the Date which is the start of the one hundred year period for two digits year values.

Returns:

a Date

getDateFormatSymbols

public DateFormatSymbols getDateFormatSymbols()

Answers the DateFormatSymbols used by this SimpleDateFormat.

Returns:

a DateFormatSymbols

hashCode

public int hashCode()

Answers an integer hash code for the receiver. Objects which are equal answer the same value for this method.

Overrides:

hashCode in class DateFormat

Returns:

the receiver's hash

See Also:

equals(java.lang.Object)

parse

public Date parse(String string,
                  ParsePosition position)

Parse a Date from the specified String starting at the index specified by the ParsePosition. If the string is successfully parsed, the index of the ParsePosition is updated to the index following the parsed text.

Specified by:

parse in class DateFormat

Parameters:

string - the String to parse according to the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat

position - the ParsePosition, updated on return with the index following the parsed text, or on error the index is unchanged and the error index is set to the index where the error occurred

Returns:

the Date resulting from the parse, or null if there is an error

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - when there are invalid characters in the pattern

set2DigitYearStart

public void set2DigitYearStart(Date date)

Sets the Date which is the start of the one hundred year period for two digits year values.

Parameters:

date - the Date

setDateFormatSymbols

public void setDateFormatSymbols(DateFormatSymbols value)

Sets the DateFormatSymbols used by this SimpleDateFormat.

Parameters:

value - the DateFormatSymbols

toLocalizedPattern

public String toLocalizedPattern()

Answers the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat using localized pattern characters.

Returns:

the localized pattern

toPattern

public String toPattern()

Answers the pattern of this SimpleDateFormat using non-localized pattern characters.

Returns:

the non-localized pattern