FormatDateTime Rich formatting of a TDateTime variable into a string SysUtils unit

Function

1 function FormatDateTime ( const Formatting : string; DateTime : TDateTime ) : string;

2 function FormatDateTime ( const Formatting : string; DateTime : TDateTime; const FormatSettings : TFormatSettings ) :
string;

Description Example code : Showing all of the date field formatting data types

The FormatDateTime function provides rich formatting of a var

TDateTime value DateTime into a string. Formatting is myDate : TDateTime;
defined by the Formatting string.
begin
The Formatting string can comprise a mix of ordinary // Set up our TDateTime variable with a full date and time :
characters (that are passed unchanged to the result string), // 5th of June 2000 at 01:02:03.004 (.004 milli-seconds)
and data formatting characters. This formatting is best myDate := EncodeDateTime(2000, 6, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4);
explained by the example code.

The following (non-Asian) formatting character strings can

// Date only - numeric values with no leading zeroes (except year)
be used in the Formatting string: ShowMessage(' d/m/y = '+
FormatDateTime('d/m/y', myDate));
y = Year last 2 digits
// Date only - numeric values with leading zeroes
yy = Year last 2 digits
ShowMessage(' dd/mm/yy = '+
yyyy = Year as 4 digits FormatDateTime('dd/mm/yy', myDate));
m = Month number no-leading 0
mm = Month number as 2 digits // Use short names for the day, month, and add freeform text ('of')
mmm = Month using ShortDayNames (Jan) ShowMessage(' ddd d of mmm yyyy = '+
mmmm = Month using LongDayNames (January)
FormatDateTime('ddd d of mmm yyyy', myDate));
d = Day number no-leading 0
// Use long names for the day and month
dd = Day number as 2 digits ShowMessage('dddd d of mmmm yyyy = '+
ddd = Day using ShortDayNames (Sun) FormatDateTime('dddd d of mmmm yyyy', myDate));
dddd = Day using LongDayNames (Sunday)
ddddd = Day in ShortDateFormat // Use the ShortDateFormat settings only
ShowMessage(' ddddd = '+
dddddd = Day in LongDateFormat
FormatDateTime('ddddd', myDate));

c = Use ShortDateFormat + LongTimeFormat // Use the LongDateFormat settings only

h = Hour number no-leading 0 ShowMessage(' dddddd = '+
hh = Hour number as 2 digits FormatDateTime('dddddd', myDate));
n = Minute number no-leading 0
// Use the ShortDateFormat + LongTimeFormat settings
nn = Minute number as 2 digits
ShowMessage(' c = '+
s = Second number no-leading 0 FormatDateTime('c', myDate));
ss = Second number as 2 digits end;
z = Milli-sec number no-leading 0s
Show full unit code
zzz = Milli-sec number as 3 digits
t = Use ShortTimeFormat d/m/y = 5/6/00
tt = Use LongTimeFormat dd/mm/yy = 05/06/00
ddd d of mmm yyyy = Mon 5 of Jun 2000
dddd d of mmmm yyyy = Monday 5 of June 2000
am/pm = Use after h : gives 12 hours + am/pm
ddddd = 05/06/2000
a/p = Use after h : gives 12 hours + a/p dddddd = 05 June 2000
ampm = As a/p but TimeAMString,TimePMString c = 05/06/2000 01:02:03
/ = Substituted by DateSeparator value
: = Substituted by TimeSeparator value

Important : if you want to see characters such as dd in the

Example code : Showing all of the time field formatting data types
formatted output, placing them in " marks will stop them
being interpreted as date or time elements. var
myDate : TDateTime;
In addition to this formatting, various of the above options
are affected by the following variables, withe their default begin
values : // Set up our TDateTime variable with a full date and time :
// 5th of June 2000 at 01:02:03.004 (.004 milli-seconds)
DateSeparator = / myDate := EncodeDateTime(2000, 6, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4);
TimeSeparator = :
ShortDateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy // Time only - numeric values with no leading zeroes
LongDateFormat = dd mmm yyyy ShowMessage(' h:n:s.z = '+FormatDateTime('h:n:s.z', myDate));
TimeAMString = AM
// Time only - numeric values with leading zeroes
TimePMString = PM
ShowMessage('hh:nn:ss.zzz = '+FormatDateTime('hh:nn:ss.zzz', myDate));
ShortTimeFormat = hh:mm
LongTimeFormat = hh:mm:ss // Use the ShortTimeFormat settings only
ShortMonthNames = Jan Feb ... ShowMessage(' t = '+FormatDateTime('t', myDate));
LongMonthNames = January, February ...
// Use the LongTimeFormat settings only
ShortDayNames = Sun, Mon ...
ShowMessage(' tt = '+FormatDateTime('tt', myDate));
LongDayNames = Sunday, Monday ...
TwoDigitYearCenturyWindow = 50 // Use the ShortDateFormat + LongTimeFormat settings
ShowMessage(' c = '+FormatDateTime('c', myDate));
end;
Verrsion 2 o of this fun
nction is fo
or use within threa
ads. You Show full unit
u code
furnnish the F
FormatSe ettings rrecord beffore invoking the c
call.
It ta
akes a loccal copy oof global formattin
ng variablles that h:m:s.
.z = 1:2:3.4
mak ke the routine thre ead safe. hh:mm
m:ss.zzzz = 1:02:03.
01 .004
t = 1:02
01
t
tt = 1:02:03
01
c = 5/06/200
05 00 01:0
02:03
Related co
omman
nds

DatteSepara
ator The ccharacterr used to
separate display date E
Example wing the
e code : Show e effect of loca
al date format
f setting
gs
fields
s
DatteTimeTooStr Conv verts TDateTime da ate
and ttime values to a v
var
stringg myDate
e : TDa e;
ateTime
DatteTimeTooString Rich formattin ng of a
TDatteTime va ariable intto a b
begin
stringg // Set
t up ou teTime variabl
ur TDat v le with
h a full
l date and ti
ime :
Lon
ngDateFo ormat Long version o of the datte // 5th
h of Ju 49 at 01
une 204 1:02:03
3.004 (.004 milli-s
m seconds
s)
to strring form
mat //
Lon
ngDayNa ames An arrray of daays of thee
// Not
te that s treate
t 49 is ed as 2049
2 as
s follow
ws :
week k names, starting 1 =
Sund day
// TwoDigit
T tYearCe
enturyW
Window =>
= 50
Lon
ngMonthNames An arrray of daays of thee // C
Current
t year =>
= 20088 (at time
t of writin
ng)
montth names s, starting
g1 // tract TwoDigit
Subt T tYearCe
enturyW
Window =>
= 19588
= Jannuary // igit yea
2 di ar to be
b convverted =>
= 49
Lon
ngTimeFo ormat Long version o of the tim
me // Coompare with the
t last
t 2 dig
gits of
f 1958 =>
= Lesss
to strring form
mat // So t ar is in
the yea n the next
n ce
entury =>
= 20499
ShoortDateF
Format Compact vers sion of thee // (58
8 would onverted
d be co d to 19
958)
date to string format
ShoortDayNaames An arrray of daays of thee myDate
e := St teTime('
trToDat '05/06/
/49 01:02:03.0
004');
week k names, starting 1 =
Sund day
// Dem
monstra fault lo
ate def ocale setting
s gs
ShoortMonth
hNames An arrray of daays of thee
montth names s, starting
g1
= Jann // Use
e the D
DateSepparator and Ti
imeSepa
arator values
v
ShoortTimeF
Format Shorrt version of the tim me ShowMe
essage(
('dd/mmm/yy hh:
:nn:ss = '+
to strring form
mat tDateTim
Format me('dd/
/mm/yy hh:nn:s
ss', my
yDate));
StrT
ToDateTTime Conv verts a daate+time
stringg into a T
TDateTime // Use
e Short Names
tMonthN
valuee ShowMe
essage(
(' mmm = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('mmm', myDate
e));
Tim
meAMString Determines AM value in
DateT TimeToSttring // Use
e LongM ames
MonthNa
proceedure
ShowMe
essage(
(' mmmm = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('mmmm', myDat
te));
Tim
mePMStriing Determines PM M value in
DateT TimeToSttring
proceedure // Use
e Short mes
tDayNam
Tim
meSeparaator The ccharacterr used to ShowMe
essage(
(' ddd = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('ddd', myDate
e));
separate display time
fields
s // Use
e LongD
DayName
es
TwooDigitYe
earCentuuryWindo
ow Sets the centu ury threshold ShowMe
essage(
(' dddd = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('dddd', myDat
te));
for 2 digit yeaar string
conversions // Use
e the S
ShortDa
ateForma
at stri
ing
ShowMe
essage(
(' ddddd = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('ddddd
d', myDa
ate));

Down
nload this
s web site
e as a Win
ndows prrogram. // Use
e the L
LongDat
teFormat
t strin
ng
ShowMe
essage(
(' d
dddddd = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('ddddd
dd', myD
Date));
;

// Use
e the T
TimeAmS
String
ShowMe
essage(
(' h
hhampm = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('hhamp
pm', myD
Date));
;

// Use
e the S
ShortTi
imeForma
at stri
ing
ShowMe
essage(
(' t = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('t', myDate))
m );

// Use
e the L
LongTim
meFormat
t strin
ng
ShowMe
essage(
(' tt = '+Fo
ormatDat
teTime(
('tt', myDate)
));

// Use
e the T
TwoDigiitCentur
ryWindo
ow
ShowMe
essage(
(' dd/mm
m/yyyy = '+
Format
tDateTim
me('dd/
/mm/yyy
yy', myD
Date));
;

ShowMe
essage(
('');

// Now
w chang
ge the default
ts
DateSe
eparato
or := '-'
';
TimeSe
eparato
or := '_'
';
ShortD
DateFor
rmat := 'dd
d/mmm/y
yy';
LongDa
ateForm
mat := 'dd
ddd dd of mmm
mm of yy
yyy';
TimeAM
MString
g := 'mo
orning'
';
TimePM
MString
g := 'af
fternoo
on';
ShortT
TimeFor
rmat := 'hh
h:nn:ss
s';
LongTi
imeForm
mat := 'hh
h : nn : ss . zzz';
ShortM
MonthNa
ames[6] := 'JU
UN';
LongMo
onthNam
mes[6] := 'JUUNE';
ShortD
DayName
es[1] := 'SU
UN';
LongDa
ayNames
s[1] := 'SU
UNDAY';
;
TwoDig
gitYear
rCentur
ryWindow
w := 75
5; // This
T mea
ans 49 is tre
eated as
s 1949

// Set
t up ou
ur TDat
teTime variabl
v le with
h the sa
ame val
lue as before
// exc
cept th
hat we must us
se the new da
ate and time separat
s tors
 // The TwoDigitYearCenturyWindow variable only takes effect here
myDate := StrToDateTime('09-02-49 01_02_03.004');

// Use the DateSeparator and TimeSeparator values

ShowMessage('dd/mm/yy hh:nn:ss = '+
FormatDateTime('dd/mm/yy hh:nn:ss', myDate));

// Use ShortMonthNames
ShowMessage(' mmm = '+FormatDateTime('mmm', myDate));

// Use LongMonthNames
ShowMessage(' mmmm = '+FormatDateTime('mmmm', myDate));

// Use ShortDayNames
ShowMessage(' ddd = '+FormatDateTime('ddd', myDate));

// Use LongDayNames
ShowMessage(' dddd = '+FormatDateTime('dddd', myDate));

// Use the ShortDateFormat string

ShowMessage(' ddddd = '+FormatDateTime('ddddd', myDate));

// Use the LongDateFormat string

ShowMessage(' dddddd = '+FormatDateTime('dddddd', myDate));

// Use the TimeAmString

ShowMessage(' hhampm = '+FormatDateTime('hhampm', myDate));

// Use the ShortTimeFormat string

ShowMessage(' t = '+FormatDateTime('t', myDate));

// Use the LongTimeFormat string

ShowMessage(' tt = '+FormatDateTime('tt', myDate));

// Use the TwoDigitCenturyWindow

ShowMessage(' dd/mm/yyyy = '+
FormatDateTime('dd/mm/yyyy', myDate));
end;
Show full unit code

dd/mm/yy hh:mm:ss = 05/06/49 01:02:03

mmm = Jun
mmmm = June
ddd = Sat
dddd = Saturday
ddddd = 05/06/2049
dddddd = 05 June 2049
hhampm = 01AM
t = 01:02
tt = 01:02:03
dd/mm/yyyy = 05/06/2049

dd/mm/yy hh:nn:ss = 05-06-49 01_02_03

mmm = JUN
mmmm = JUNE
ddd = SUN
dddd = SUNDAY
ddddd = 05-JUN-49
dddddd = SUNDAY 05 of JUNE of 1949
hhampm = 01morning
t = 01_02_03
tt = 01 _ 02 _ 03 . 004
dd/mm/yyyy = 05-06-1949