prajna.text

Class RelativeDateFormat

java.lang.Object

java.text.Format

java.text.DateFormat

prajna.text.RelativeDateFormat

All Implemented Interfaces:

java.io.Serializable, java.lang.Cloneable

public class RelativeDateFormat
extends java.text.DateFormat

DateFormat which extends the functionality of SimpleDateFormat by adding relative references. The RelativeDateFormat includes a new key, 'r', which matches relative terms such as "next" or "last". It also handles relative parsing, understanding "next Thursday" and converting it to a Date based upon a relative date for the formatter.

Author:

Edward Swing

See Also:

Serialized Form

Nested Class Summary

Nested Classes

Modifier and Type	Class and Description
static class	RelativeDateFormat.RelativeType

Nested classes/interfaces inherited from class java.text.DateFormat

java.text.DateFormat.Field

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class java.text.DateFormat

AM_PM_FIELD, calendar, DATE_FIELD, DAY_OF_WEEK_FIELD, DAY_OF_WEEK_IN_MONTH_FIELD, DAY_OF_YEAR_FIELD, DEFAULT, ERA_FIELD, FULL, HOUR_OF_DAY0_FIELD, HOUR_OF_DAY1_FIELD, HOUR0_FIELD, HOUR1_FIELD, LONG, MEDIUM, MILLISECOND_FIELD, MINUTE_FIELD, MONTH_FIELD, numberFormat, SECOND_FIELD, SHORT, TIMEZONE_FIELD, WEEK_OF_MONTH_FIELD, WEEK_OF_YEAR_FIELD, YEAR_FIELD

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
RelativeDateFormat() Create a new RelativeDateFormat with a default pattern.
RelativeDateFormat(java.lang.String datePattern) Create a new RelativeDateFormat with the given pattern.

Method Summary

Methods

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
boolean	equals(java.lang.Object obj) Overrides equals
java.lang.StringBuffer	format(java.util.Date date, java.lang.StringBuffer toAppendTo, java.text.FieldPosition fieldPosition) Formats a date into a date/time string
java.util.Date	getReferenceDate() Get the date that this DateFormat uses as a reference.
RelativeDateFormat.RelativeType	getRelationMethod() Get the relation method to be used when interpreting inexact dates.
int	hashCode() Overrides hashCode
java.util.Date	parse(java.lang.String text, java.text.ParsePosition pos) Parse a date/time string according to the given parse position.
void	setReferenceDate(java.util.Date referenceDate) Set the date that this DateFormat uses as a reference.
void	setRelationMethod(RelativeDateFormat.RelativeType method) Set the relation method to be used when interpreting inexact dates.
java.lang.String	toPattern() Return the pattern defining this RelativeDateFormat

Methods inherited from class java.text.DateFormat

clone, format, format, getAvailableLocales, getCalendar, getDateInstance, getDateInstance, getDateInstance, getDateTimeInstance, getDateTimeInstance, getDateTimeInstance, getInstance, getNumberFormat, getTimeInstance, getTimeInstance, getTimeInstance, getTimeZone, isLenient, parse, parseObject, setCalendar, setLenient, setNumberFormat, setTimeZone

Methods inherited from class java.text.Format

format, formatToCharacterIterator, parseObject

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

RelativeDateFormat

public RelativeDateFormat()

Create a new RelativeDateFormat with a default pattern. This will conform to the default format used by SimpleDateFormat

RelativeDateFormat

public RelativeDateFormat(java.lang.String datePattern)

Create a new RelativeDateFormat with the given pattern. The pattern conforms to the pattern used in SimpleDateFormat, but adds 'r' as an acceptable character. The 'r' key matches relative references such as "next" or "last".

Parameters:

datePattern - the pattern for this DateFormat

Method Detail

equals

public boolean equals(java.lang.Object obj)

Overrides equals

Overrides:

equals in class java.text.DateFormat

Parameters:

obj - an object to compare this one to

Returns:

true if the objects are equal, false otherwise

format

public java.lang.StringBuffer format(java.util.Date date,
                            java.lang.StringBuffer toAppendTo,
                            java.text.FieldPosition fieldPosition)

Formats a date into a date/time string

Specified by:

format in class java.text.DateFormat

Parameters:

date - a Date to be formatted into a date/time string.

toAppendTo - the string buffer for the returning date/time string.

fieldPosition - keeps track of the position of the field within the returned string

Returns:

the string buffer passed in as toAppendTo, with formatted text appended.

getReferenceDate

public java.util.Date getReferenceDate()

Get the date that this DateFormat uses as a reference.

Returns:

the new reference date

getRelationMethod

public RelativeDateFormat.RelativeType getRelationMethod()

Get the relation method to be used when interpreting inexact dates.

Returns:

the relation method

hashCode

public int hashCode()

Overrides hashCode

Overrides:

hashCode in class java.text.DateFormat

Returns:

the hash code

parse

public java.util.Date parse(java.lang.String text,
                   java.text.ParsePosition pos)

Parse a date/time string according to the given parse position.

Specified by:

parse in class java.text.DateFormat

Parameters:

text - The date/time string to be parsed

pos - On input, the position at which to start parsing; on output, the position at which parsing terminated, or the start position if the parse failed.

Returns:

A Date, or null if the input could not be parsed

setReferenceDate

public void setReferenceDate(java.util.Date referenceDate)

Set the date that this DateFormat uses as a reference. If not set, it uses the current date

Parameters:

referenceDate - the new reference date

setRelationMethod

public void setRelationMethod(RelativeDateFormat.RelativeType method)

Set the relation method to be used when interpreting inexact dates. The default value is RelativeType.CLOSEST

Parameters:

method - the relation method

toPattern

public java.lang.String toPattern()

Return the pattern defining this RelativeDateFormat

Returns:

the pattern