Convert date to friendly format using SimpleDateFormat

Question

I am trying to format a date such as Mon Jul 28 00:00:00 CDT 2014 to something a bit more user friendly, such as Mon 6/28. What am I doing wrong?

Code:

        String date_string = "Mon Jul 28 00:00:00 CDT 2014";

        SimpleDateFormat inputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("ccc LLL F HH:mm:ss zzz yyyy"); //please notice the    capital M
        SimpleDateFormat outputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("ccc LLL/yyyy");

        try {
            Date date = inputFormatter.parse(date_string);
            String text = outputFormatter.format(date);
            System.out.println(text);
        } catch (ParseException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

When I use System.out.println to see what outputFormatter is set to, the result is: Sun Jan/2015

Can you see the connection between `ccc LLL/yyyy` & `Sun Jan/2015`? Check out [the docs](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/SimpleDateFormat.html). — takendarkk, Jun 30 '14 at 05:02
check this so you can see the actual pattern letters http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/SimpleDateFormat.html — Ed Morales, Jun 30 '14 at 05:03
I'm sorry, is this a stupid question? Not sure why I got downvoted... I'll look at the docs. — moatist, Jun 30 '14 at 05:48
possible duplicate of [How do you format date and time in Android?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/454315/how-do-you-format-date-and-time-in-android) — Basil Bourque, Jun 30 '14 at 07:10

Hariharan · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-30T06:06:13.577

3

Try this..

Change this..

    SimpleDateFormat outputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("ccc LLL/yyyy");

to

    SimpleDateFormat outputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE M/dd");

EEE --> Mon

EEEE --> Monday

MM --> 06

M --> 6

dd --> 28

EDIT

    SimpleDateFormat inputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE MMM dd HH:mm:ss zzz yyyy");

DEMO

http://ideone.com/c5rVT5

edited Jun 30 '14 at 06:06

answered Jun 30 '14 at 05:03

Hariharan

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Thank you, that did change the format of the output to what I want, however, it is still displaying incorrect information. The output is Sun 1/11. – moatist Jun 30 '14 at 05:36
It should be Mon 6/28. – moatist Jun 30 '14 at 05:36
Thank you!! It works perfectly :D Wish I wouldn't have gotten downvoted, but otherwise, I'm happy. – moatist Jun 30 '14 at 06:19

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 30 '14 at 05:03

0

"Month: If the number of pattern letters is 3 or more, the month is interpreted as text; otherwise, it is interpreted as a number."

If you want the number version, use the shorter format in your output.

answered Jun 30 '14 at 05:03

Phuong Nguyen

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Aniruddha · Answer 3 · 2014-06-30T05:29:00.343

0

Try this

DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE M/dd");

Check this and this for more details.

edited Jun 30 '14 at 05:29

answered Jun 30 '14 at 05:05

Aniruddha

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1

You should add some explanation to your answer – Barranka Jun 30 '14 at 05:25

Inder Sharma · Answer 4 · 2014-06-30T05:52:01.113

0

SimpleDateFormat inputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE MMM d HH:mm:ss zzz yyyy");
SimpleDateFormat outputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE MMM/yyyy");

This will print : Mon Jul/2014

If you use :

SimpleDateFormat outputFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("EEE L/d");

This will print : Mon 7/28

edited Jun 30 '14 at 05:52

answered Jun 30 '14 at 05:43

Inder Sharma

15
4

Convert date to friendly format using SimpleDateFormat

4 Answers4