Docmosis allows you to control how dates and times are displayed in the finished document.
For example: the raw data may have a date like: 21-03-16.
Using the built-in function dateFormat the date can be formatted so that it looks like this: Monday - March 21, 2016.
It is best to view the TEMPLATE and OUTPUT files side-by-side to understand the formatting that has been applied.
Parameters for dateFormat
The function dateFormat has up to three parameters.
All three parameters are used in the statement dateFormat ( value [, outputFormat [, inputFormat] ]). The first parameter contains the date/time.
| value | is the Date/Time to be formatted |
The other two are the format strings, enclosed in single quotes.
| inputFormat | used to tell Docmosis how to decode the value that is passed in |
| outputFormat | used to tell Docmosis how to display the decoded value |
Format strings
Here is an example of a format string: 'dd-MMMM-yyyy'.
If they are not provided - Docmosis will use the default settings.
Some characters in the string are standard:
| dd | for a two digit day |
| yyyy | for a four digit year |
Other combinations are not so obvious:
| MM | is the Month in numeric format |
| MMM | is the Month abbreviated to the first three letters |
| MMMM | is the Month as a full word |
| mm | is for minutes |
| EEEE | the day expressed as a word |
| EEE | the day abbreviated to the first three letters |
| hh | is for hours in 12 hour notation |
| HH | is for hours in 24 hour notation |
| aa | is for AM/PM |
You will find the complete list in the Template Guide.
Displaying the current date/time.
Docmosis has a built-in variable that can be used to insert the current date and time:
<<$nowUTC>>
Please refer to the FAQ: How can I insert the current date / time? for details on how to use it with the dateFormat function.
