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. 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.