Date format conversion in Java

Question

How to convert calendar date to yyyy-MM-dd format.

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
cal.add(Calendar.DATE, 1);
Date date = cal.getTime();             
SimpleDateFormat format1 = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
String date1 = format1.format(date);            
Date inActiveDate = null;
try {
    inActiveDate = format1.parse(date1);
} catch (ParseException e1) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e1.printStackTrace();
}

This will produce inActiveDate = Wed Sep 26 00:00:00 IST 2012. But what I need is 2012-09-26. My purpose is to compare this date with another date in my database using Hibernate criteria. So I need the date object in yyyy-MM-dd format.

Answer 1

A Java Date is a container for the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT.

When you use something like System.out.println(date), Java uses Date.toString() to print the contents.

The only way to change it is to override Date and provide your own implementation of Date.toString(). Now before you fire up your IDE and try this, I wouldn't; it will only complicate matters. You are better off formatting the date to the format you want to use (or display).

What you can do, is format the date.

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
cal.add(Calendar.DATE, 1);
SimpleDateFormat format1 = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
System.out.println(cal.getTime());
// Output "Wed Sep 26 14:23:28 EST 2012"

String formatted = format1.format(cal.getTime());
System.out.println(formatted);
// Output "2012-09-26"

System.out.println(format1.parse(formatted));
// Output "Wed Sep 26 00:00:00 EST 2012"

These are actually the same date, represented differently.

Answer 2

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
cal.add(Calendar.DATE, 1);
Date date = cal.getTime();             
SimpleDateFormat format1 = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");          
String inActiveDate = null;
try {
    inActiveDate = format1.format(date);
    System.out.println(inActiveDate );
} catch (ParseException e1) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e1.printStackTrace();
}