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Date Formats in an EASAP

Date formatting allows an Author a powerful and straightforward to convert a date into the exact format desired for a particular application.

The Pattern: parameter of DATEBOX and DATE, and the Input Pattern: parameter of DATE FUNCTION specify the display format for a date.

EASA implements DATE, DATEBOX, and DATE FUNCTION directly from the Java programming language.

The full reference for the Java class java.text.SimpleDateFormat may be found at:


Examples for the (Input) Pattern: parameter(s):

Date and Time Pattern Result
yyyy.MM.dd 'at' HH:mm:ss2001.07.04 at 12:08:56
MMM d, ' 'yyJul 4, '01
h:mm a12:08 PM
hh 'o' 'clock' a12 o'clock PM
yyyyy.MMMMM.dd hh:mm aaa02001.July.04 12:08 PM
yyMMddHHmmss010704120856
yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss.SSS2001-07-04T12:08:56.235

Explanatory notes for some pattern fragments in the (Input) Pattern: parameter(s):

partial Pattern: Outcome and example
yyyy year (eg. 2001)
yy last two digits of year (eg. 1999→99)
MM numerical two-digit month (eg. December→12)
MMM three-character month (eg. March→Mar)
MMMMfull month name (eg. March→March)
mmminutes past the hour (eg. 5:17→17)
done- or two-digit day in the month (eg. July 4→4, July 14→14)
dd two-digit day in month (eg. July 4→04)