DateList

DateList[]

gives the current local date and time in the form {year,month,day,hour,minute,second}.

DateList[time]

gives a date list corresponding to an AbsoluteTime specification.

DateList[date]

gives a date list corresponding to a DateObject specification.

DateList[{y,m,d,h,m,s}]

converts a date list to standard normalized form.

DateList["string"]

converts a date string to a date list.

DateList[{"string",{"e1","e2",…}}]

gives the date list obtained by extracting elements "ei" from "string".

Details and Options

  • DateList[] uses whatever date and time have been set on your computer system. It performs no corrections for time zones, daylight saving time, etc.
  • DateList[TimeZone->z] gives the date and time inferred for time zone z by assuming that your computer is set for the time zone specified by $TimeZone. »
  • All values returned by DateList[] are integers, except the number of seconds. The number of seconds is never more accurate than $TimeUnit.
  • Shorter lists can be used in DateList[{y,m,…}]: {y} is equivalent to {y,1,1,0,0,0}, {y,m} to {y,m,1,0,0,0}, etc.
  • Values of m, d, h, m, s outside their normal ranges are appropriately reduced. Noninteger values of d, h, m, s can also be used. »
  • You can compare two lists returned by DateList using Order. »
  • In the form DateList[{"string",{"e1","e2",…}}], the "ei" can be "Year", "YearShort", "Quarter", "Month", "MonthName", "Day", "DayName", "Hour", "Hour12", "AMPM", "Minute", "Second", or "Millisecond".
  • DateList[{"string",{"e1","e2",…}}] uses the "ei" to fill in elements of {y,m,d,h,m,s}. Those not filled in are taken to have default values {yc,1,1,0,0,0}, where yc is the current year. »
  • In DateList[{"string",{"e1","e2",…}}], the "ei" are extracted from "string" in the order given, and can be separated by any non-alphanumeric characters. »
  • DateList[{"string",{"e1","sep12","e2","sep23",…}}] extracts elements using the explicit separators specified. »

Examples

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Basic Examples  (6)

Find the current date:

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Convert a date object to a date list:

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Convert an absolute time to a date list:

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Expand an elided date list:

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Convert a date string to a date list:

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Specify date elements for converting a string:

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Scope  (6)

Generalizations & Extensions  (1)

Options  (1)

Applications  (1)

Properties & Relations  (4)

Possible Issues  (2)

See Also

DateString  DateObject  DatePlus  DateDifference  AbsoluteTime  UnixTime  FromUnixTime  DateValue  $TimeZone  SessionTime  TimeUsed  FileDate  $CreationDate  Clock  DateListPlot

Tutorials

Introduced in 2007
(6.0)
| Updated in 2014
(10.0)