This document discusses various ways to format date and time information in Java using format specifiers. It shows how the %t specifier formats time and date by requiring a suffix to specify the portion of time or date. Examples demonstrate formatting the time, date, hour and minute, and month and number. It also discusses the %n and %% specifiers, specifying minimum field width, precision specifiers, and format flags to control conversions.

1. DATE AND TIME
FORMATTER

2. FORMATTING DATE AND TIME
• One of the more powerful conversion
specifiers is %t. – to format time and date
information.
• The %t specifier works a bit differently than
the others because it requires the use of a
suffix to describe the portion and precise
format of the time or date desired.
• %tM, where M indicates minutes in a two-
character field.

3. SUFFIX

4. FORMATTING TIME AND DATE.
import java.util.*;
class TimeDateFormat
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
Formatter fmt = new Formatter();
Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
// Display standard 12-hour time format.
fmt.format("%tr", cal);
System.out.println(fmt);
// Display complete time and date
information.
fmt = new Formatter();
fmt.format("%tc", cal);
System.out.println(fmt);
// Display just hour and minute.
fmt = new Formatter();
fmt.format("%tl:%tM", cal, cal);
System.out.println(fmt);
// Display month by name and
number.
fmt = new Formatter();
fmt.format("%tB %tb %tm", cal, cal,
cal);
System.out.println(fmt);
}
}

5. Sample output is shown here:
// Display standard 12-hour time format.
09:17:15 AM
// Display complete time and date information.
Mon Jan 01 09:17:15 CST 2007
// Display just hour and minute.
9:17
// Display month by name and number
January Jan 01

6. The %n and %% Specifiers
• The %n and %% format specifiers differ from
the others in that they do not match an
argument.
• The %n inserts a newline.
• The %% inserts a percent sign.

7. // Demonstrate the %n and %% format specifiers.
import java.util.*;
class FormatDemo3
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
Formatter fmt = new Formatter();
fmt.format("Copying file%nTransfer is %d%% complete", 88);
System.out.println(fmt);
}
}
Output:
Copying file
Transfer is 88% complete

8. Specifying a Minimum Field Width
• An integer placed between the % sign and the
format conversion code acts as a minimum
field-width specifier.
• This pads the output with spaces to ensure
that it reaches a certain minimum length.

9. // Demonstrate a field-width specifier
import java.util.*;
class FormatDemo4
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
Formatter fmt = new Formatter();
fmt.format("|%f|%n|%12f|%n|%012f|",
10.12345, 10.12345, 10.12345);
System.out.println(fmt);
}
}

10. Specifying Precision
• Aprecision specifier can be applied to the %f,
%e, %g, and %s format specifiers.
• It follows the minimum field-width specifier (if
there is one) and consists of a period followed
by an integer.
• Its exact meaning depends upon the type of
data to which it is applied.

11. Using the Format Flags
• Formatter recognizes a set of format flags
that lets you control various aspects of a
Conversion.
• All format flags are single characters, and a
format flag follows the % in a format
specification.