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(librep.info)Formatting Dates

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Formatting Dates
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   Given a timestamp value it is possible to format it as a string, in
many different formats.

 - Function: current-time-string #!optional timestamp format
     Return a string defining TIMESTAMP according to the string FORMAT.
     If TIMESTAMP is undefined, the current time is used.

     The FORMAT string may include any of the formatting characters
     from the C library's `strftime(3)' function. If undefined a
     standard, fixed-width, format is used:

          (current-time-string)
              => "Wed Jun  2 18:07:53 1999"

     Some of the possible formatting substitutions include (this is
     copied from the GNU libc manual, Note: (libc)Formatting Date and
     Time):

    `%a'
          The abbreviated weekday name according to the current locale.

    `%A'
          The full weekday name according to the current locale.

    `%b'
          The abbreviated month name according to the current locale.

    `%B'
          The full month name according to the current locale.

    `%c'
          The preferred date and time representation for the current
          locale.

    `%d'
          The day of the month as a decimal number (range `01' to `31').

    `%H'
          The hour as a decimal number, using a 24-hour clock (range
          `00' to `23').

    `%I'
          The hour as a decimal number, using a 12-hour clock (range
          `01' to `12').

    `%j'
          The day of the year as a decimal number (range `001' to
          `366').

    `%m'
          The month as a decimal number (range `01' to `12').

    `%M'
          The minute as a decimal number.

    `%p'
          Either `am' or `pm', according to the given time value; or the
          corresponding strings for the current locale.

    `%S'
          The second as a decimal number.

    `%U'
          The week number of the current year as a decimal number,
          starting with the first Sunday as the first day of the first
          week.

    `%W'
          The week number of the current year as a decimal number,
          starting with the first Monday as the first day of the first
          week.

    `%w'
          The day of the week as a decimal number, Sunday being `0'.

    `%x'
          The preferred date representation for the current locale, but
          without the time.

    `%X'
          The preferred time representation for the current locale, but
          with no date.

    `%y'
          The year as a decimal number, but without a century (range
          `00' to `99').

    `%Y'
          The year as a decimal number, including the century.

    `%Z'
          The time zone or name or abbreviation (empty if the time zone
          can't be determined).

    `%%'
          A literal `%' character.

          (current-time-string nil "%Y-%m-%d")
              => "1999-06-02"