timestring Function

Format

s = timestring(ʃtimestamp_formatʅʃ, timestamp_valueʅ);

Description

The timestring function returns a formatted string containing the date and time as represented by a UNIX time, but using the local machine's time zone (instead of UTC).

The optional string expression timestamp_format contains date and time formatters. You can view a list of these formatters on a webpage about the C function strftime. If no formatter is supplied, the function returns an expression based on the machine's local settings using the formatter "%c" (note that the "%c" formatter is locale-dependent and so will return a slightly different layout depending on where it is invoked).

The optional numeric expression timestamp_value allows you to use a date/time value that came from the timestamp function. If not supplied, the function uses the current date/time.

If querying a SQLite database via the Sqlite.exec action or sqlquery function, you can call this function using the name cspro_timestring.

Return Value

The function returns the custom formatted date and time string.

Example

// if the current date (the default when no argument is given) is 12/27/2021,
// then the text displayed would be "Week 52"
errmsg("Week %s", timestring("%W"));

// if living in EST, the string will display "Fri May 5 08:00:00 2000"
numeric cspro_first_release_timestamp = 957528000;
errmsg("%s", timestring(cspro_first_release_timestamp));

// the following will display the string "Friday May 05, 2000"
errmsg("%s", timestring("%A %B %d, %Y", cspro_first_release_timestamp));