Java change date format from custom date to MM dd yyyy

Question

I am trying to convert a String value that is stored in a database,for example "2012-01-20", to be in the format January 20, 2012.

I have seen some examples, but they are using Date which works with SimpleDateFormat.

As an example here is one way I tried but the "try" always fails and the result is null

DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/dd/yyyy");
Date convertedDate=null;

try {

    convertedDate = df.parse(datePlayed);                   

} catch(ParseException e){
    e.printStackTrace();
}   

Solution 1

In short, you're not using the right format for parsing. You need to use two DateFormat instances; one for parsing and one for formatting.

DateFormat parser = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
DateFormat formatter = new SimpleDateFormat("MMM dd, yyyy");
Date convertedDate = parser.parse(datePlayed);
String output = formatter.format(convertedDate);

Solution 2

Date da = new Date();
SimpleDateFormat ft = new SimpleDateFormat("E, dd/MM/yyyy !");
System.out.println("Update : " + ft.format(da));

You can change your date style do you want at: E, dd/MM/yyyy !

Good luck !

Comments

[Sam Trost]

stackoverflow.com/questions/999172/how-to-parse-date-in-java

[James Montagne]

If your dates look like 2012-01-20, why would you use the format MM/dd/yyyy in creating your SimpleDateFormat?

[Matt Ball]

@JamesMontagne I couldn't have said it better myself.

[user1070764]

@JamesMontagne thats not what i actually used that was just the original example i found of one way to do it, your right tho i want month displayed, MMMM.

[user1070764]

That worked! now i realize what i had to do with setting up the parser first to recognize my pattern. Thank you very much for the fast response

[Matt Ball]

Neither of these are the problem.

[Thorn]

Since we didn't see his actual input, we don't know for sure what the problem is. You an I offered solutions to the most likely causes of the problem.

[Basil Bourque]

FYI, java.sql.Date is a subclass of java.util.Date. No need to convert.

[Ashok kumar Ganesan]

we can remove the second line and use the parser in 4th line to replace the formatter as parser to make it efficient right?