The format string consists of zero or more conversion specifiers, whitespace characters, and ordinary characters (except %). Each ordinary character is expected to match one character in the input stream in case-insensitive comparison. Each whitespace character matches arbitrary whitespace in the input string. Each conversion specification begins with % character, optionally followed by E or O modifier (ignored if unsupported by the locale), followed by the character that determines the behavior of the specifier. The format specifiers match the POSIX function strptime():
Conversion specifier
|
Explanation
|
Writes to fields
|
%
|
matches a literal %. The full conversion specification must be %%.
|
(none)
|
t
|
matches any whitespace.
|
(none)
|
n
|
matches any whitespace.
|
(none)
|
Year
|
Y
|
parses full year as a 4 digit decimal number, leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_year
|
EY
|
parses year in the alternative representation, e.g.平成23年 (year Heisei 23) which writes 2011 to tm_year in ja_JP locale
|
tm_year
|
y
|
parses last 2 digits of year as a decimal number. Range [69,99] results in values 1969 to 1999, range [00,68] results in 2000-2068
|
tm_year
|
Oy
|
parses last 2 digits of year using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 十一 is parsed as 11 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_year
|
Ey
|
parses year as offset from locale's alternative calendar period %EC
|
tm_year
|
C
|
parses the first 2 digits of year as a decimal number (range [00,99])
|
tm_year
|
EC
|
parses the name of the base year (period) in the locale's alternative representation, e.g. 平成 (Heisei era) in ja_JP
|
tm_year
|
Month
|
b
|
parses the month name, either full or abbreviated, e.g. Oct
|
tm_mon
|
h
|
synonym of b
|
tm_mon
|
B
|
synonym of b
|
tm_mon
|
m
|
parses the month as a decimal number (range [01,12]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_mon
|
Om
|
parses the month using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 十二 parses as 12 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_mon
|
Week
|
U
|
parses the week of the year as a decimal number (Sunday is the first day of the week) (range [00,53]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_year, tm_wday, tm_yday
|
OU
|
parses the week of the year, as by %U, using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 五十二 parses as 52 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_year, tm_wday, tm_yday
|
W
|
parses the week of the year as a decimal number (Monday is the first day of the week) (range [00,53]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_year, tm_wday, tm_yday
|
OW
|
parses the week of the year, as by %W, using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 五十二 parses as 52 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_year, tm_wday, tm_yday
|
Day of the year/month
|
j
|
parses day of the year as a decimal number (range [001,366]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_yday
|
d
|
parses the day of the month as a decimal number (range [01,31]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_mday
|
Od
|
parses the day of the month using the alternative numeric system, e.g 二十七 parses as 23 in ja_JP locale, leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_mday
|
e
|
synonym of d
|
tm_mday
|
Oe
|
synonym of Od
|
tm_mday
|
Day of the week
|
a
|
parses the name of the day of the week, either full or abbreviated, e.g. Fri
|
tm_wday
|
A
|
synonym of a
|
tm_wday
|
w
|
parses weekday as a decimal number, where Sunday is 0 (range [0-6])
|
tm_wday
|
Ow
|
parses weekday as a decimal number, where Sunday is 0, using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 二 parses as 2 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_wday
|
Hour, minute, second
|
H
|
parses the hour as a decimal number, 24 hour clock (range [00-23]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_hour
|
OH
|
parses hour from 24-hour clock using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 十八 parses as 18 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_hour
|
I
|
parses hour as a decimal number, 12 hour clock (range [01,12]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_hour
|
OI
|
parses hour from 12-hour clock using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 六 reads as 06 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_hour
|
M
|
parses minute as a decimal number (range [00,59]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_min
|
OM
|
parses minute using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 二十五 parses as 25 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_min
|
S
|
parses second as a decimal number (range [00,60]), leading zeroes permitted but not required
|
tm_sec
|
OS
|
parses second using the alternative numeric system, e.g. 二十四 parses as 24 in ja_JP locale
|
tm_sec
|
Other
|
c
|
parses the locale's standard date and time string format, e.g. Sun Oct 17 04:41:13 2010 (locale dependent)
|
all
|
Ec
|
parses the locale's alternative date and time string format, e.g. expecting 平成23年 (year Heisei 23) instead of 2011年 (year 2011) in ja_JP locale
|
all
|
x
|
parses the locale's standard date representation
|
all
|
Ex
|
parses the locale's alternative date representation, e.g. expecting 平成23年 (year Heisei 23) instead of 2011年 (year 2011) in ja_JP locale
|
all
|
X
|
parses the locale's standard time representation
|
all
|
EX
|
parses the locale's alternative time representation
|
all
|
D
|
equivalent to "%m / %d / %y "
|
tm_mon, tm_mday, tm_year
|
r
|
parses locale's standard 12-hour clock time (in POSIX, "%I : %M : %S %p")
|
tm_hour, tm_min, tm_sec
|
R
|
equivalent to "%H : %M"
|
tm_hour, tm_min
|
T
|
equivalent to "%H : %M : %S"
|
tm_hour, tm_min, tm_sec
|
p
|
parses the locale's equivalent of a.m. or p.m.
|
tm_hour
|