date\_format {#language.modifier.date.format}
============

This formats a date and time into the given
[`strftime()`](&url.php-manual;strftime) format. Dates can be passed to
Smarty as unix [timestamps](&url.php-manual;function.time), [DateTime
objects](&url.php-manual;class.DateTime), mysql timestamps or any string
made up of month day year, parsable by php\'s
[`strtotime()`](&url.php-manual;strtotime). Designers can then use
`date_format` to have complete control of the formatting of the date. If
the date passed to `date_format` is empty and a second parameter is
passed, that will be used as the date to format.

   Parameter Position    Type    Required    Default    Description
  -------------------- -------- ---------- ------------ -------------------------------------------------
           1            string      No      \%b %e, %Y  This is the format for the outputted date.
           2            string      No         n/a      This is the default date if the input is empty.

> **Note**
>
> Since Smarty-2.6.10 numeric values passed to `date_format` are
> *always* (except for mysql timestamps, see below) interpreted as a
> unix timestamp.
>
> Before Smarty-2.6.10 numeric strings that where also parsable by
> `strtotime()` in php (like `YYYYMMDD`) where sometimes (depending on
> the underlying implementation of `strtotime()`) interpreted as date
> strings and NOT as timestamps.
>
> The only exception are mysql timestamps: They are also numeric only
> and 14 characters long (`YYYYMMDDHHMMSS`), mysql timestamps have
> precedence over unix timestamps.

> **Note**
>
> `date_format` is essentially a wrapper to PHP\'s
> [`strftime()`](&url.php-manual;strftime) function. You may have more
> or less conversion specifiers available depending on your system\'s
> [`strftime()`](&url.php-manual;strftime) function where PHP was
> compiled. Check your system\'s manpage for a full list of valid
> specifiers. However, a few of the specifiers are emulated on Windows.
> These are: %D, %e, %h, %l, %n, %r, %R, %t, %T.


    <?php

    $config['date'] = '%I:%M %p';
    $config['time'] = '%H:%M:%S';
    $smarty->assign('config', $config);
    $smarty->assign('yesterday', strtotime('-1 day'));

    ?>

       

This template uses [`$smarty.now`](#language.variables.smarty.now) to
get the current time:


    {$smarty.now|date_format}
    {$smarty.now|date_format:"%D"}
    {$smarty.now|date_format:$config.date}
    {$yesterday|date_format}
    {$yesterday|date_format:"%A, %B %e, %Y"}
    {$yesterday|date_format:$config.time}

       

This above will output:


    Jan 1, 2022
    01/01/22
    02:33 pm
    Dec 31, 2021
    Monday, December 1, 2021
    14:33:00

       

`date_format` conversion specifiers:

-   \%a - abbreviated weekday name according to the current locale

-   \%A - full weekday name according to the current locale

-   \%b - abbreviated month name according to the current locale

-   \%B - full month name according to the current locale

-   \%c - preferred date and time representation for the current locale

-   \%C - century number (the year divided by 100 and truncated to an
    integer, range 00 to 99)

-   \%d - day of the month as a decimal number (range 01 to 31)

-   \%D - same as %m/%d/%y

-   \%e - day of the month as a decimal number, a single digit is
    preceded by a space (range 1 to 31)

-   \%g - Week-based year within century \[00,99\]

-   \%G - Week-based year, including the century \[0000,9999\]

-   \%h - same as %b

-   \%H - hour as a decimal number using a 24-hour clock (range 00
    to 23)

-   \%I - hour as a decimal number using a 12-hour clock (range 01
    to 12)

-   \%j - day of the year as a decimal number (range 001 to 366)

-   \%k - Hour (24-hour clock) single digits are preceded by a blank.
    (range 0 to 23)

-   \%l - hour as a decimal number using a 12-hour clock, single digits
    preceded by a space (range 1 to 12)

-   \%m - month as a decimal number (range 01 to 12)

-   \%M - minute as a decimal number

-   \%n - newline character

-   \%p - either \`am\' or \`pm\' according to the given time value, or
    the corresponding strings for the current locale

-   \%r - time in a.m. and p.m. notation

-   \%R - time in 24 hour notation

-   \%S - second as a decimal number

-   \%t - tab character

-   \%T - current time, equal to %H:%M:%S

-   \%u - weekday as a decimal number \[1,7\], with 1 representing
    Monday

-   \%U - week number of the current year as a decimal number, starting
    with the first Sunday as the first day of the first week

-   \%V - The ISO 8601:1988 week number of the current year as a decimal
    number, range 01 to 53, where week 1 is the first week that has at
    least 4 days in the current year, and with Monday as the first day
    of the week.

-   \%w - day of the week as a decimal, Sunday being 0

-   \%W - week number of the current year as a decimal number, starting
    with the first Monday as the first day of the first week

-   \%x - preferred date representation for the current locale without
    the time

-   \%X - preferred time representation for the current locale without
    the date

-   \%y - year as a decimal number without a century (range 00 to 99)

-   \%Y - year as a decimal number including the century

-   \%Z - time zone or name or abbreviation

-   \%% - a literal \`%\' character

See also [`$smarty.now`](#language.variables.smarty.now),
[`strftime()`](&url.php-manual;strftime),
[`{html_select_date}`](#language.function.html.select.date) and the
[date tips](#tips.dates) page.
