Programming

Output Formats

The command datestr(D, dateform) converts a serial date D to one of 19 different date string output formats showing date, time, or both. The default output for dates is a day-month-year string: 01-Mar-1996. You select an alternative output format by using the optional integer argument dateform.

This table shows the date string formats that correspond to each dateform value.

dateform	Format	Description
0	01-Mar-1996 15:45:17	day-month-year hour:minute:second
1	01-Mar-1996	day-month-year
2	03/01/96	month/day/year
3	Mar	month, three letters
4	M	month, single letter
5	3	month
6	03/01	month/day
7	1	day of month
8	Wed	day of week, three letters
9	W	day of week, single letter
10	1996	year, four digits
11	96	year, two digits
12	Mar96	month year
13	15:45:17	hour:minute:second
14	03:45:17 PM	hour:minute:second AM or PM
15	15:45	hour:minute
16	03:45 PM	hour:minute AM or PM
17	Q1-96	calendar quarter-year
18	Q1	calendar quarter

Converting Output Format with datestr

Here are some examples of converting the date March 1, 1996 to various forms using the datestr function:

• d = '01-Mar-1999' 
  d = 
     01-Mar-1999
  
  datestr(d)
  ans =
       01-Mar-1999
  
  datestr(d, 2)
  ans = 
       03/01/99
  
  datestr(d, 17)
  ans = 
       Q1-99
  

Date String Formats

Current Date and Time

© 1994-2005 The MathWorks, Inc.