Java Development

[bo]

I've seen countless examples online, but I can't figure out why this isn't working:

SimpleDateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss");
String eventDateString;

Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance(TimeZone.getTimeZone("GMT")); // GMT will always be supported by getTimeZone
eventDateString = dateFormat.format(calendar.getTime());
System.out.println(eventDateString);


Calendar calendarLocal = Calendar.getInstance();
eventDateString = dateFormat.format(calendarLocal.getTime());
System.out.println(eventDateString);

This results in this output:

2009-03-10 19:58:06
2009-03-10 19:58:06

I would expect the first one to be 4 hours ahead since the device I'm using is EST.

Am I missing something about how these methods work?

Thanks.

 

[peter_strange]

In the API documentation for SimpleDateFormat, it says the following:

 "public class SimpleDateFormat
extends DateFormat

Formats and parses dates in a locale-sensitive manner"

Add the following to your code to demonstrate that the hours are in fact different in the Calendar objects:

 System.out.println(calendar.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY) + ":" + calendarLocal.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY));

If you wish to use SimpleDateFormat to provide GMT output, you have to manipulate the time yourself, by adding the appropriate offset.

[bo]

Thanks peter, I never thought it would be a problem with the formatter, since I thought it's only job was to format dates.

So SimpleDateFormat basically ignores the timezone of the Calendar that you give it and uses your local timezone?

Is there no formatter which takes a timezone?

[peter_strange]

"Is there no formatter which takes a timezone?"

Think that DateFormat does, though I have never used it.  The java doc says:

public abstract class DateFormat
extends Format

Defines fundamental functionality for locale-independent formatting of date/time information.

Have a look at it and if you get it to work for you, I'd be interested to see some sample code.

DateFields respect TimeZone too.

[bo · Accepted solution]

I'm a big **bleep**...

DateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z'"); //e.g. 2008-06-03T12:15:03Z
        Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance(TimeZone.getTimeZone("GMT"));
        c.setTime(new Date(System.currentTimeMillis())); //now
        String formattedDate = dateFormat.format(c, new StringBuffer(), null).toString(); //formatted in UTC/GMT time
        System.out.println(formattedDate);

 

See this thread: http://supportforums.blackberry.com/rim/board/message?board.id=java_dev&message.id=4714&query.id=610...

Message Edited by bo on 03-12-2009 11:06 AM

[peter_strange]

Thanks - new to me as well....

[ashutosh_porchys]

Hi

  can you please help me that how can I get the time in hh:mm style without dates and other strings..

Thanks in Advance

[CMY]

Look at the SimpleDateFormat class and it shows the characters to use to format your string however you like.

[saggi]

hi.. I need just the time HH:MMS format.. how can i get it?

[RexDoug]

The solution was provided above.

Please refrain from posting in "solved" threads.