Swift NSDateFormatter not using correct locale and format

Question

This is my code:

let currentDate = NSDate()
let usDateFormat = NSDateFormatter()
usDateFormat.dateFormat = NSDateFormatter.dateFormatFromTemplate("d MMMM y", options: 0, locale: NSLocale(localeIdentifier: "en-US"))
cmt.date = usDateFormat.stringFromDate(currentDate)

I was expecting to get "15 October 2015", but I got "oktober 15, 2015". The month is in swedish locale.

What have I done wrong? Both locale and format are wrong.

i tried the same code and i am getting this output October 15, 2015 — Omkar Guhilot, Oct 15 '15 at 10:00

score 32 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 11 '17 at 10:24

32

Try this:

let dateString = "2015-10-15"
let formater = NSDateFormatter()
formater.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd"
print(dateString)

formater.locale =  NSLocale(localeIdentifier: "en_US_POSIX")
let date = formater.dateFromString(dateString)
print(date)

Swift 3 Xcode 8

let dateString = "2015-10-15"
let formater = DateFormatter()
formater.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd"
print(dateString)

formater.locale =  Locale(identifier: "en_US_POSIX")
let date = formater.date(from: dateString)
print(date!)

I hope it helps.

edited Aug 11 '17 at 10:24

Carlos.V

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answered Oct 15 '15 at 10:59

ikbal

1,114
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3

What's the difference between doing local en_US_POSIX vs en-US?? The answer above seems to be doing it another way – Thomas Feb 07 '17 at 02:23

Zell B. · Answer 2 · 2017-02-24T12:09:15.103

Check out the documentation of dateFormatFromTemplate. It states that :

Return Value

A localized date format string representing the date format components given in template, arranged appropriately for the locale specified by locale.

The returned string may not contain exactly those components given in template, but may—for example—have locale-specific adjustments applied.

So thats the problem about arranging and language. To get the date you are looking for you need to set date formatter's dateFormat and locale as follow:

let currentDate = NSDate()
let usDateFormat = NSDateFormatter()
usDateFormat.dateFormat = "d MMMM y"
usDateFormat.locale = NSLocale(localeIdentifier: "en_US")
cmt.date = usDateFormat.stringFromDate(currentDate)

Probably a typo :-). LocaleIdentifier is with an underscore, "en_US". — kometen, Sep 01 '16 at 14:53

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 22 '17 at 00:57

6

Better Swift 3/3.1 solution:

let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.locale = Locale(identifier: "en_US")

answered Jun 22 '17 at 00:57

szubiszon

106
1
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score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 03 '17 at 17:00

3

try this code

let locale1:Locale = NSLocale(localeIdentifier: "en_US") as Locale
var date =  Date().description(with: locale1)
print(date)

//Monday, April 3, 2017...

answered Apr 03 '17 at 17:00

mahdiTGK

53
7

1

Any solution for the current system locale without having to specify en_US? – Hikarus Jan 20 '20 at 17:49

DàChún · Answer 5 · 2020-04-13T15:01:48.513

1

You can use the Date extension in Swift5:

extension Date {
    var timestamp: String {
        let dataFormatter = DateFormatter()
        dataFormatter.locale = Locale(identifier: "en_US_POSIX")
        dataFormatter.dateFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSSS"
        return String(format: "%@", dataFormatter.string(from: self))
    }
}

You can get the timestamp by

print("Now: \(Date().timestamp)")

edited Apr 13 '20 at 15:01

answered Apr 08 '20 at 05:58

DàChún

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1
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Swift NSDateFormatter not using correct locale and format

5 Answers5