Returns the current system date converted to a string according to the specified formatting pattern (or style).

Parameter:

pattern

The formatting pattern.

For more details about the date patterns, see description for format(Date,...) function.

Note: Instead of a pattern, it is also possible to specify in this parameter the name of one of the predefined date styles:

"SHORT", "MEDIUM", "LONG", "FULL"
For more details about the styles, see description for format(Date,...) function.

Note: If this parameter is null, empty string or not specified at all, the "SHORT" style will be used by default to format the date.

Examples:

date()
date("SHORT")

Returns the current date formatted with the predefined short pattern, for example:

     27/04/06
date("MEDIUM")
Returns the current date formatted with the predefined long pattern, for example:

     Apr 27, 2006
dateTime("dd.MM.yyyy")
Returns the current date formatted with the custom pattern, for example:

     27.04.2006

See Also:

time(), dateTime(), format(Date,...)