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Date functions

Date functions change the date from one format to another, or they return information about a date.

Date

The date function converts a date from one format to another. It requires a date as input, and the new date format as a parameter. You can use an optional input parameter to specify the format of the input date. The date function also works date strings, like today, now, yesterday or tomorrow.

With a date as input:

{$.inputs.date} = June 1, 2021

{date:{$.inputs.date},'d-m-y'} = 01-06-21

With a date string as input:

{$.inputs.date} = tomorrow

{date:{$.inputs.date},'d-m-y'} = 30-07-21

Configuration of the date formula

Image showing the automation structure and input configuration using the date formula

Convert to Qlik date format

The date formula converts the date to a Unix format, and then applies division and addition to create the Qlik date format.

{add: {divide: {date: {$.vDate}, 'U'}, 86400}, 25569}

Convert time zone

The convert time zone function converts the date and time from one time zone to another. It requires a data and time as input, and an input and output time zone. Optionally add input and output format to adjust the date format.

To convert a timezone, click Add formula > Date functions > Convert timezone in the input field.

Configuration of the convert time zone function

Image showing the Select formula dialog to convert a time zone

{$.inputs.date} = today 09:24

{converttimezone: {$.inputs.date}, , 'America/Toronto', , 'Europe/Paris'} = 2021-07-29 15:24:00

Configuration of the convert time zone function

Image showing the automation structure and input configuration for convertin timezones

List time zones

The list time zones function is a function that takes no input. It is used by itself to return a list of available time zones for the convert time zone function.

Parameters

Use these parameters to specify the input and output format in the date formulas.

Parameters for dates
Character Description Example returned value
d Day of the month. Two digits with leading zeros 01 to 31
D A textual representation of a day with three letters Mon through Sun
j Day of the month without leading zeros 1 to 31
l (lowercase 'L') A full textual representation of the day of the week Sunday through Saturday
N ISO-8601 numeric representation of the day of the week 1 (for Monday) through 7 (for Sunday)
S English ordinal suffix for the day of the month with two characters st, nd, rd or th. Works well with j
w Numeric representation of the day of the week 0 (for Sunday) through 6 (for Saturday)
z The day of the year (starting from 0) 0 through 365
W ISO-8601 week number of year with weeks starting on Monday 42 (the 42nd week in the year)
F A full textual representation of a month, such as January or March January through December
m Numeric representation of a month with leading zeros 01 through 12
M A short textual representation of a month with three letters Jan through Dec
n Numeric representation of a month without leading zeros 1 through 12
t Number of days in the given month 28 through 31
L Leap year designation 1 for leap year, otherwise 0
o ISO-8601 week-numbering year. This has the same value as Y, except that if the ISO week number (W) belongs to the previous or following year, that year is used instead. 1999 or 2003
Y A full numeric representation of a year with 4 digits 1999 or 2003
y A two-digit representation of a year 99 or 03
Parameters for time
Character Description Example returned value
a Lowercase Ante meridiem and Post meridiem am or pm
A Uppercase Ante meridiem and Post meridiem AM or PM
B Swatch Internet time 000 through 999
g 12-hour format of an hour without leading zeros 1 through 12
G 24-hour format of an hour without leading zeros 0 through 23
h 12-hour format of an hour with leading zeros 01 through 12
H 24-hour format of an hour with leading zeros 00 through 23
i Minutes with leading zeros 00 through 59
s Seconds with leading zeros 00 through 59
u Microseconds Example: 654321
v Milliseconds Example: 654
e Timezone identifier Example: UTC, GMT, Atlantic/Azores
I (uppercase 'i') Indicates whether or not the date is in daylight saving time 1 for Daylight Savings, otherwise 0
O Difference to Greenwich time (GMT) in hours Example: +0200
P Difference to Greenwich time (GMT) with colon between hours and minutes Example: +02:00
T Timezone abbreviation Example: EST, MDT
Z Timezone offset in seconds. The offset for timezones west of UTC is negative, and positive for timezones east of UTC. -43200 through 50400
c ISO 8601 date 2004-02-12T15:19:21+00:00
r RFC 2822 formatted date Example: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 16:01:07 +0200
u Seconds since the Unix Epoch (January 1 1970 00:00:00 GMT) 1552054674

To access the list of parameters when you are working on your automations, click on Show more in the Edit Formula dialog.

Edit formula input

Edit formula dialog box emphasizing the link to show the parameters that can be used when working with date functions

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