Java Date To String Example

This example will show you how to use SimpleDateFormat to convert a Java.util.Date object to formated String and how to convert a Java date format String back to Java.util.Date object.

Java Date To String

1. Initiate a SimpleDateFormat object with the required format.
2. Use SimpleDateFormat.format() method to convert the java.util.Date object to the formated String.

   	private static String javaDateToString(Date dateObj, String dateFormatString)
   	{
   		String dateStr = "";
   		
   		try
   		{
   			if(dateObj!=null && dateFormatString!=null)
   			{
   				// Create a DateFormat object.
   				DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat(dateFormatString);
   				
   				// Use DateFormat.format() method to get the result.
   				dateStr = df.format(dateObj);
   			}
   		}catch(Exception ex)
   		{
   			ex.printStackTrace();
   		}finally
   		{
   			System.out.println("Formated Date String is " + dateStr);
   			return dateStr;
   		}
   	}

Java String To Date

1. Use provided date format string to create a SimpleDateFormat object.
2. Use SimpleDateFormat.parse() method to get the java.util.Date object.

   	private static Date javaStringToDate(String dateStr, String dateFormatString)
   	{
   		Date retDate = null;
   		
   		try
   		{
   			if(dateStr!=null && dateFormatString!=null)
   			{
   				// Create a DateFormat object.
   				DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat(dateFormatString);
   				
   				// Use DateFormat.parse() method to get the date object.
   				retDate = df.parse(dateStr);
   			}
   		}catch(Exception ex)
   		{
   			ex.printStackTrace();
   		}finally
   		{
   			System.out.println("The Date value for " + dateStr + " parsed out by format " + dateFormatString + " is " + retDate);
   			return retDate;
   		}
   	}

3. DateStringFormatMapDTO.java

   /* This is a DTO class which is used to link a string to it's date format.
    * */
   public class DateStringFormatMapDTO {
   
   	// For example "07-26-2017".
   	private String dateString = "";
   	
   	// For example "MM-dd-yyyy".
   	private String dateStringFormat = "";
   
   	public String getDateString() {
   		return dateString;
   	}
   
   	public void setDateString(String dateString) {
   		this.dateString = dateString;
   	}
   
   	public String getDateStringFormat() {
   		return dateStringFormat;
   	}
   
   	public void setDateStringFormat(String dateStringFormat) {
   		this.dateStringFormat = dateStringFormat;
   	}
   }

Java Code To Test Above Method

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		
		JavaDateStringConverter.testJavaDateToString();
		
		System.out.println("-------------------------");

		JavaDateStringConverter.testJavaStringToDate();
	}

	private static void testJavaDateToString()
	{
		// Get current java.util.Date object.
		Date currDate = new Date();
		
		List<String> dateFormateStrList = new ArrayList<String>();
		dateFormateStrList.add("dd-MMM-yyyy");
		dateFormateStrList.add("dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss");
		dateFormateStrList.add("dd/MM/yyyy");
		dateFormateStrList.add("MM dd, yyyy");
		dateFormateStrList.add("E, MMM dd yyyy HH:mm:ss");
		dateFormateStrList.add("E, MMM dd yyyy");
		
		for(String dateFormatStr : dateFormateStrList)
		{
			JavaDateStringConverter.javaDateToString(currDate, dateFormatStr);	
		}
	}
	
	private static void testJavaStringToDate()
	{
		
		List<DateStringFormatMapDTO> datStringFormatMapDtoList = new ArrayList<DateStringFormatMapDTO>();
		
		DateStringFormatMapDTO dsfmDto1 = new DateStringFormatMapDTO();
		dsfmDto1.setDateString("25-07-2017");
		dsfmDto1.setDateStringFormat("dd-MM-yyyy");
		datStringFormatMapDtoList.add(dsfmDto1);
		
		DateStringFormatMapDTO dsfmDto2 = new DateStringFormatMapDTO();
		dsfmDto2.setDateString("25-07-2017 11:16:19");
		dsfmDto2.setDateStringFormat("dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss");
		datStringFormatMapDtoList.add(dsfmDto2);
		
		DateStringFormatMapDTO dsfmDto3 = new DateStringFormatMapDTO();
		dsfmDto3.setDateString("25/07/2017");
		dsfmDto3.setDateStringFormat("dd/MM/yyyy");
		datStringFormatMapDtoList.add(dsfmDto3);
		
		DateStringFormatMapDTO dsfmDto4 = new DateStringFormatMapDTO();
		dsfmDto4.setDateString("07 25, 2017");
		dsfmDto4.setDateStringFormat("MM dd, yyyy");
		datStringFormatMapDtoList.add(dsfmDto4);
		
		DateStringFormatMapDTO dsfmDto5 = new DateStringFormatMapDTO();
		dsfmDto5.setDateString("Tue, Jul 25 2017 11:16:19");
		dsfmDto5.setDateStringFormat("E, MMM dd yyyy HH:mm:ss");
		datStringFormatMapDtoList.add(dsfmDto5);
		
		DateStringFormatMapDTO dsfmDto6 = new DateStringFormatMapDTO();
		dsfmDto6.setDateString("Tue, Jul 25 2017");
		dsfmDto6.setDateStringFormat("E, MMM dd yyyy");
		datStringFormatMapDtoList.add(dsfmDto6);
		
		for(DateStringFormatMapDTO dateStringFormatMapDto : datStringFormatMapDtoList)
		{
			JavaDateStringConverter.javaStringToDate(dateStringFormatMapDto.getDateString(), dateStringFormatMapDto.getDateStringFormat());	
		}
	}

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