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.date

.date <date_format_code>

The .date command is used within an environment variable, as the contents of the variable. When it is used, the system replaces the variable value with the current date and/or time value at run time. Date format codes supplied to the .date command determine what date/time information is actually supplied.

To use the .date command, define an environment variable with a value of ".date <date_format_code>." It cannot be used in step command fields.
Note: The .date command is processed by the Management Console and thus uses the time and time zone values on the Management Console machine.

For example, if you define a variable named DayOfWeek with a value ".date %A", assign the environment containing that variable to your project, and run the project on a Wednesday, then the system assigns the text "Wednesday" to the variable DayOfWeek.

The following list shows commonly-valid format strings for the .date command. The format strings are built on the POSIX strftime() function. Specific support for formatting parameters depends on the underlying operating system.

Format String

Description

%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 (range 00 to 59).

%p

Either "AM" or "PM" according to the given time value, or the corresponding strings for the current locale. Noon is treated as "pm" and midnight as "am".

%S

The second as a decimal number (range 00 to 61).

%u

The day of the week as a decimal, range 1 to 7, Monday being 1.

%U

The week number of the current year as a decimal number, range 00 to 53, starting with the first Sunday as the first day of week 01.

%w

The day of the week as a decimal, range 0 to 6, Sunday being 0.

%W

The week number of the current year as a decimal number, range 00 to 53, starting with the first Monday as the first day of week 01.

%y

The year as a decimal number 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.

%%

A literal "%" character.