Added in API level 24

RelativeDateTimeFormatter

class RelativeDateTimeFormatter
kotlin.Any
   ↳ android.icu.text.RelativeDateTimeFormatter

Formats simple relative dates. There are two types of relative dates that it handles:

  • relative dates with a quantity e.g "in 5 days"
  • relative dates without a quantity e.g "next Tuesday"

This API is very basic and is intended to be a building block for more fancy APIs. The caller tells it exactly what to display in a locale independent way. While this class automatically provides the correct plural forms, the grammatical form is otherwise as neutral as possible. It is the caller's responsibility to handle cut-off logic such as deciding between displaying "in 7 days" or "in 1 week." This API supports relative dates involving one single unit. This API does not support relative dates involving compound units. e.g "in 5 days and 4 hours" nor does it support parsing. This class is both immutable and thread-safe.

Here are some examples of use: 

RelativeDateTimeFormatter fmt = RelativeDateTimeFormatter.getInstance();
  fmt.format(1, Direction.NEXT, RelativeUnit.DAYS); // "in 1 day"
  fmt.format(3, Direction.NEXT, RelativeUnit.DAYS); // "in 3 days"
  fmt.format(3.2, Direction.LAST, RelativeUnit.YEARS); // "3.2 years ago"
 
  fmt.format(Direction.LAST, AbsoluteUnit.SUNDAY); // "last Sunday"
  fmt.format(Direction.THIS, AbsoluteUnit.SUNDAY); // "this Sunday"
  fmt.format(Direction.NEXT, AbsoluteUnit.SUNDAY); // "next Sunday"
  fmt.format(Direction.PLAIN, AbsoluteUnit.SUNDAY); // "Sunday"
 
  fmt.format(Direction.LAST, AbsoluteUnit.DAY); // "yesterday"
  fmt.format(Direction.THIS, AbsoluteUnit.DAY); // "today"
  fmt.format(Direction.NEXT, AbsoluteUnit.DAY); // "tomorrow"
 
  fmt.format(Direction.PLAIN, AbsoluteUnit.NOW); // "now"

In the future, we may add more forms, such as abbreviated/short forms (3 secs ago), and relative day periods ("yesterday afternoon"), etc.

Summary

Nested classes

Represents an absolute unit.

Represents a direction for an absolute unit e.

Represents the result of a formatting operation of a relative datetime.

Represents the unit for formatting a relative date.

Represents the unit for formatting a relative date.

The formatting style
Public methods
String!
combineDateAndTime(relativeDateString: String!, timeString: String!)

Combines a relative date string and a time string in this object's locale.
String!

Formats a relative date without a quantity.
String!

Formats a relative date with a quantity such as "in 5 days" or "3 months ago".
String!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a text style if possible, e.
String!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a numeric style, e.
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a numeric style, e.
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Formats a relative date without a quantity.
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Formats a relative date with a quantity such as "in 5 days" or "3 months ago".
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a text style if possible, e.
DisplayContext!

Return capitalization context.
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Style!

Return style
static RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for the default locale.
static RelativeDateTimeFormatter!
getInstance(locale: ULocale!)

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular locale.
static RelativeDateTimeFormatter!
getInstance(locale: ULocale!, nf: NumberFormat!)

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular locale that uses a particular NumberFormat object.
static RelativeDateTimeFormatter!
getInstance(locale: ULocale!, nf: NumberFormat!, style: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Style!, capitalizationContext: DisplayContext!)

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular locale that uses a particular NumberFormat object, style, and capitalization context
static RelativeDateTimeFormatter!
getInstance(locale: Locale!)

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular java.util.Locale.
static RelativeDateTimeFormatter!
getInstance(locale: Locale!, nf: NumberFormat!)

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular java.util.Locale that uses a particular NumberFormat object.
NumberFormat!

Returns a copy of the NumberFormat this object is using.

Public methods

combineDateAndTime

Added in API level 24
fun combineDateAndTime(
    relativeDateString: String!, 
    timeString: String!
): String!

Combines a relative date string and a time string in this object's locale. This is done with the same date-time separator used for the default calendar in this locale.

Parameters
relativeDateString String!: the relative date e.g 'yesterday'
timeString String!: the time e.g '3:45'
Return
String! the date and time concatenated according to the default calendar in this locale e.g 'yesterday, 3:45'

format

Added in API level 24
fun format(
    direction: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.AbsoluteUnit!
): String!

Formats a relative date without a quantity. This method returns a String. To get more information about the formatting result, use formatToValue().

Parameters
direction RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!: NEXT, LAST, THIS, etc.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.AbsoluteUnit!: e.g SATURDAY, DAY, MONTH
Return
String! the formatted string. If direction has a value that is documented as not being fully supported in every locale (for example NEXT_2 or LAST_2) then this function may return null to signal that no formatted string is available.
Exceptions
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException if the direction is incompatible with unit this can occur with NOW which can only take PLAIN.

format

Added in API level 24
fun format(
    quantity: Double, 
    direction: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeUnit!
): String!

Formats a relative date with a quantity such as "in 5 days" or "3 months ago". This method returns a String. To get more information about the formatting result, use formatToValue().

Parameters
quantity Double: The numerical amount e.g 5. This value is formatted according to this object's NumberFormat object.
direction RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!: NEXT means a future relative date; LAST means a past relative date.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeUnit!: the unit e.g day? month? year?
Return
String! the formatted string
Exceptions
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException if direction is something other than NEXT or LAST.

format

Added in API level 28
fun format(
    offset: Double, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!
): String!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a text style if possible, e.g. "last week", "this week", "next week", "yesterday", "tomorrow". Falls back to numeric style if no appropriate text term is available for the specified offset in the object’s locale. This method returns a String. To get more information about the formatting result, use formatToValue().

Parameters
offset Double: The signed offset for the specified field.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!: The unit to use when formatting the relative date, e.g. RelativeDateTimeUnit.WEEK, RelativeDateTimeUnit.FRIDAY.
Return
String! The formatted string (may be empty in case of error)

formatNumeric

Added in API level 28
fun formatNumeric(
    offset: Double, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!
): String!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a numeric style, e.g. "1 week ago", "in 1 week", "5 weeks ago", "in 5 weeks". This method returns a String. To get more information about the formatting result, use formatNumericToValue().

Parameters
offset Double: The signed offset for the specified unit. This will be formatted according to this object's NumberFormat object.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!: The unit to use when formatting the relative date, e.g. RelativeDateTimeUnit.WEEK, RelativeDateTimeUnit.FRIDAY.
Return
String! The formatted string (may be empty in case of error)

formatNumericToValue

Added in API level 31
fun formatNumericToValue(
    offset: Double, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a numeric style, e.g. "1 week ago", "in 1 week", "5 weeks ago", "in 5 weeks". This method returns a FormattedRelativeDateTime, which exposes more information than the String returned by formatNumeric().

Parameters
offset Double: The signed offset for the specified unit. This will be formatted according to this object's NumberFormat object.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!: The unit to use when formatting the relative date, e.g. RelativeDateTimeUnit.WEEK, RelativeDateTimeUnit.FRIDAY.
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime! The formatted string (may be empty in case of error)

formatToValue

Added in API level 31
fun formatToValue(
    direction: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.AbsoluteUnit!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Formats a relative date without a quantity. This method returns a FormattedRelativeDateTime, which exposes more information than the String returned by format().

Parameters
direction RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!: NEXT, LAST, THIS, etc.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.AbsoluteUnit!: e.g SATURDAY, DAY, MONTH
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime! the formatted string. If direction has a value that is documented as not being fully supported in every locale (for example NEXT_2 or LAST_2) then this function may return null to signal that no formatted string is available.
Exceptions
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException if the direction is incompatible with unit this can occur with NOW which can only take PLAIN.

formatToValue

Added in API level 31
fun formatToValue(
    quantity: Double, 
    direction: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeUnit!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Formats a relative date with a quantity such as "in 5 days" or "3 months ago". This method returns a FormattedRelativeDateTime, which exposes more information than the String returned by format().

Parameters
quantity Double: The numerical amount e.g 5. This value is formatted according to this object's NumberFormat object.
direction RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Direction!: NEXT means a future relative date; LAST means a past relative date.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeUnit!: the unit e.g day? month? year?
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime! the formatted relative datetime
Exceptions
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException if direction is something other than NEXT or LAST.

formatToValue

Added in API level 31
fun formatToValue(
    offset: Double, 
    unit: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime!

Format a combination of RelativeDateTimeUnit and numeric offset using a text style if possible, e.g. "last week", "this week", "next week", "yesterday", "tomorrow". Falls back to numeric style if no appropriate text term is available for the specified offset in the object’s locale. This method returns a FormattedRelativeDateTime, which exposes more information than the String returned by format().

Parameters
offset Double: The signed offset for the specified field.
unit RelativeDateTimeFormatter.RelativeDateTimeUnit!: The unit to use when formatting the relative date, e.g. RelativeDateTimeUnit.WEEK, RelativeDateTimeUnit.FRIDAY.
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.FormattedRelativeDateTime! The formatted string (may be empty in case of error)

getCapitalizationContext

Added in API level 24
fun getCapitalizationContext(): DisplayContext!

Return capitalization context.

Return
DisplayContext! The capitalization context.

getFormatStyle

Added in API level 24
fun getFormatStyle(): RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Style!

Return style

Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Style! The formatting style.

getInstance

Added in API level 24
static fun getInstance(): RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for the default locale.

getInstance

Added in API level 24
static fun getInstance(locale: ULocale!): RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular locale.

Parameters
locale ULocale!: the locale.
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter! An instance of RelativeDateTimeFormatter.

getInstance

Added in API level 24
static fun getInstance(
    locale: ULocale!, 
    nf: NumberFormat!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular locale that uses a particular NumberFormat object.

Parameters
locale ULocale!: the locale
nf NumberFormat!: the number format object. It is defensively copied to ensure thread-safety and immutability of this class.
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter! An instance of RelativeDateTimeFormatter.

getInstance

Added in API level 24
static fun getInstance(
    locale: ULocale!, 
    nf: NumberFormat!, 
    style: RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Style!, 
    capitalizationContext: DisplayContext!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular locale that uses a particular NumberFormat object, style, and capitalization context

Parameters
locale ULocale!: the locale
nf NumberFormat!: the number format object. It is defensively copied to ensure thread-safety and immutability of this class. May be null.
style RelativeDateTimeFormatter.Style!: the style.
capitalizationContext DisplayContext!: the capitalization context.

getInstance

Added in API level 24
static fun getInstance(locale: Locale!): RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular java.util.Locale.

Parameters
locale Locale!: the java.util.Locale.
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter! An instance of RelativeDateTimeFormatter.

getInstance

Added in API level 24
static fun getInstance(
    locale: Locale!, 
    nf: NumberFormat!
): RelativeDateTimeFormatter!

Returns a RelativeDateTimeFormatter for a particular java.util.Locale that uses a particular NumberFormat object.

Parameters
locale Locale!: the java.util.Locale
nf NumberFormat!: the number format object. It is defensively copied to ensure thread-safety and immutability of this class.
Return
RelativeDateTimeFormatter! An instance of RelativeDateTimeFormatter.

getNumberFormat

Added in API level 24
fun getNumberFormat(): NumberFormat!

Returns a copy of the NumberFormat this object is using.

Return
NumberFormat! A copy of the NumberFormat.