How to convert String to Date in Java?

Problem Description :

Write a program in Java that converts String type to Date type.

String to Date conversion

Concept :

For convert String to Date we have to use parse() method of DateFormat class. This method accepts String that you want to convert and returns Date. It also throws ParseException if error occurred during parsing.

Java Program :

	package com.javamultiplex.datetime;
	import java.text.DateFormat;
	import java.text.ParseException;
	import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
	import java.util.Date;
	import java.util.Scanner;
	/**
	*
	* @author Rohit Agarwal
	* @category Date and Time
	* @problem How to convert String to Date?
	*
	*/
	public class ConvertStringToDate {
	/*
	* For converting String to Date we have to use parse() method of DateFormat
	* class.
	*/
	public static void main(String[] args) {
	Scanner input = null;
	try {
	input = new Scanner(System.in);
	System.out.println("Enter date in dd/MM/yyyy format :");
	String date = input.next();
	// If Date is valid, converting String to date.
	Date mydate = getValidDate(date);
	if (mydate != null) {
	System.out.println("Date : " + mydate);
	} else {
	System.out.println("Date is invalid.");
	}
	} finally {
	if (input != null) {
	input.close();
	}
	}
	}
	private static Date getValidDate(String date) {
	Date mydate = null;
	if (isValidDateFormat(date)) {
	/*
	* d -> Day of month
	* M -> Month of year
	* y -> Year
	*/
	DateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy");
	/*
	* By default setLenient() is true. We should make it false for
	* strict date validations.
	*
	* If setLenient() is true - It accepts all dates. If setLenient()
	* is false - It accepts only valid dates.
	*/
	dateFormat.setLenient(false);
	try {
	mydate = dateFormat.parse(date);
	} catch (ParseException e) {
	mydate = null;
	}
	}
	return mydate;
	}
	private static boolean isValidDateFormat(String date) {
	/*
	* Regular Expression that matches String with format dd/MM/yyyy.
	* dd -> 01-31
	* MM -> 01-12
	* yyyy -> 4 digit number
	*/
	String pattern = "(0?[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])\\/(0?[1-9]|1[0-2])\\/([0-9]{4})";
	boolean result = false;
	if (date.matches(pattern)) {
	result = true;
	}
	return result;
	}
	}

view raw ConvertStringToDate.java hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Output :

Output - How to convert String to Date in Java?

References :

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/Date.html

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/DateFormat.html#parse(java.lang.String)

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/DateFormat.html#setLenient(boolean)

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/SimpleDateFormat.html

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Tags : Conversion problems, String to Date in Java, Solution in Java, Regular expressions, String, DateFormat, SimpleDateFormat, if else statement.

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