DATE_FORMAT

Syntax

Example

Description/Remarks

DATE_FORMAT "date/time", "format"

DATE_FORMAT "1/13/2004 8:09:10", "MDY"

This example tells the command that the date/time sent in is in MDY format and returns a date/time string which is formatted to the current computer settings.

On a computer where the date display is configured to display Year/Month/Day the return value would be "2004/1/13 08:09:10"

This command returns a date/time string formatted for the regional settings of the current computer.  

The date/time parameter must be either a valid date string or a valid date/time string.

Valid formats for months include numerals (2), the full name of the month (February, febbraio, etc.), or the Windows abbreviation for the name of the month (Feb).  Uppercase or lowercase letters can be used in the name of the month.

The year can be expressed with two digits (00) or with four digits (2000).

The month, day and year must be separated by any characters except for the numerals 0-9. This means that date/time values of "12/30/2010", "12-30-2010", "12 30 2010", "12.30.2010" and "12-30/2010" will all be evaluated as valid dates (when used with a format of "MDY").

There must be a non-numeric character, such as a space, between the date and the time.

Valid time stamps can be expressed in 12-hour time (1:30 PM) or 24-hour time (13:30).  If the decimal symbol in the workstation's regional options is used to separate the hour, minute, and/or second, you must use the REPLACE command to substitute a different time separator.

The second parameter helps GainSeeker to understand how the date/time string in the first parameter is formatted.  Valid options for the second parameter are YDM, YMD, MDY, MYD, DMY, DYM, and HSI.  The HSI format is the 16-character string format (YYYYMMDDHHmmsshh) used to store date/time stamps in GainSeeker tables.

See also: DATE_CHK