FormatDate

This function formats a date according to the given format string.

Syntax

string formatDate( string theFormat, [ string escaper = "'", int timestamp = GetTimestamp() ] )

Required Arguments

• theFormat: Format string that determines how the date should be formatted. It provides the following wildcards:
  • d: day (01-31)
  • h: hour (00-23)
  • i: minute (00-59)
  • m: month (01-12)
  • s: second (00-59)
  • w: shortened day of the week (Su-Mo)
  • W: day of the week (Sunday-Monday)
  • y: shortened year (e.g. 09)
  • Y: year (e.g. 2009)

Optional Arguments

NOTE: When using optional arguments, you might need to supply all arguments before the one you wish to use. For more information on optional arguments, see optional arguments.

• escaper: Escape character that determines the beginning or end of a non-format-area, where the wildcards aren't replaced with their corresponding value. Note that the escapers get lost.
• timestamp: Timestamp of the date that should be formatted.

Returns

Returns a string containing the formatted date.

Code

NOTE: This function requires function Check in order to work correctly.

Click to collapse [-]

Server- and/or clientside Script

local gWeekDays = { "Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday" }
function formatDate(format, escaper, timestamp)
	check("formatDate", "string", format, "format", {"nil","string"}, escaper, "escaper", {"nil","string"}, timestamp, "timestamp")
	
	escaper = (escaper or "'"):sub(1, 1)
	local time = getRealTime(timestamp)
	local formattedDate = ""
	local escaped = false

	time.year = time.year + 1900
	time.month = time.month + 1
	
	local datetime = { d = ("%02d"):format(time.monthday), h = ("%02d"):format(time.hour), i = ("%02d"):format(time.minute), m = ("%02d"):format(time.month), s = ("%02d"):format(time.second), w = gWeekDays[time.weekday+1]:sub(1, 2), W = gWeekDays[time.weekday+1], y = tostring(time.year):sub(-2), Y = time.year }
	
	for char in format:gmatch(".") do
		if (char == escaper) then escaped = not escaped
		else formattedDate = formattedDate..(not escaped and datetime[char] or char) end
	end
	
	return formattedDate
end

Example

Click to collapse [-]

Server

This example outputs the actual date to a joining player.

-- get the root element
local _root = getRootElement()
-- define the onPlayerJoin handler function
function OnPlayerJoin()
    -- output the formatted date
    outputChatBox(formatDate("'You joined our server on' m/d/Y at h:i."))
end
-- add the event handler
addEventHandler("onPlayerJoin", _root, OnPlayerJoin)

Author: NeonBlack

See Also

Table functions

• addTableChangeHandler » This function monitors the changes of a table.
• pairsByKeys » This function sort pairs table.
• rangeToTable » This function converts a string range to a table containing number values.
• setTableProtected » This function protects a table and makes it read-only.
• setTableToSql » This function is used to save the table in the database (sql).
• Sort_Functions » These functions are able to sort your tables by a key.
• getKeyFromValueInTable » This function returns the key of the specified value in a table.
• getTableFromSql » This functionality is used to obtain saved tables using the function (SetTableToSql ).
• isValueInTable » This function returns true if the value exists in the table, false if the value does not exist in the table.
• table.compare » This function checks whether two given tables are equal.
• table.copy » This function copies a whole table and all the tables in that table.
• table.deepmerge » This function deep merges two tables. Every nested table will be correspondingly merged.
• table.element » This function returns a new table with only userdata content.
• table.flip » This function returns the table from the last value to the first value, such as reflection.
• table.fromString » This function converts string to a table.
• table.getRandomRows » This function returns random rows from table.
• table.map » This function goes through a table and replaces every field with the return of the passed function, where the field's value is passed as first argument and optionally more arguments.
• table.merge » This function merges two or more tables together.
• table.random » This function retrieves a random value from a table.
• table.removeValue » This function removes a specified value from a table.
• table.size » This function returns the absolute size of a table.

ACL functions

• aclGroupClone » This function clone a group to another group with/without ACLs and/or objects.
• renameAclGroup » This function gives an existing ACL group a new name.
• getPlayersInACLGroup » This function returns all players in an ACL group.
• isPlayerInACL » This function checks if a player element is in an ACL group.

Account functions

• getPlayerFromAccountName » This function is used to obtain a player by the name of his account.
• isPlayerAccount » This function checks if the account is a valid player account (account exists and is not a guest account)

Camera functions

• smoothMoveCamera » This function allows you to create a cinematic camera flight.
• sCamera » The function creates a speed camera in-game, fines speeding vehicles, and notifies the driver and take money from player based on vehicle speed.

Colshape functions

• createGarageColShape » This function creates a collision shape from the specified garage.

Cursor functions

• getCursorMovedOn » This function checks in which way the cursor is currently moving.
• setCursorCenteredOnRectangle » This functions will center the cursor inside a rectangle.

Drawing functions

• dxDrawAnimWindow » This function draws an animated 2D window on the screen.
• dxDrawBorderedRectangle » This is a function that will create a bordered rectangle.
• dxDrawBorderedText » This is a function that will create a bordered text.
• dxDrawDashedLine » This function draws a line with dashes.
• dxDrawEditbox » This function draws a edit box across the screen - rendered for one frame. This should be used in conjunction with onClientRender in order to display continuously.
• dxDrawGifImage » This function simulates the effect of a GIF image by using image sprites in 2D.
• dxDrawImage3D » This function draws a 3D image in GTA world.
• dxDrawImageOnElement » This function draws an image on any element.
• dxDrawLinedRectangle » This is a function that will create a rectangle outline with dx lines.
• dxDrawLoading » This function draws a loading bar on the screen.
• dxDrawOctagon3D » This function creates a 3D Octagon
• dxDrawPolygon » This function draws a custom polygon on the screen.
• dxDrawProgressBar » This function simulates a progress bar drawed using DirectDraw.
• dxDrawRectangle3D » This function draws a 3D rectangle in GTA world.
• dxDrawRectangleOnPlayer » This function draws a 3D rectangle above the player.
• dxDrawRing » This function draws a ring with dx lines.
• dxDrawRombo » This function creates a Rhombus.
• dxDrawSprite » This function draw a sprite in the 3D world.
• dxDrawTextOnElement » This function draws a text on any element.
• dxDrawTextOnRectangle » Esta funcion crea un rectangle con un texto dentro.
• dxDrawTriangle » This is a function that will create a triangle with dx lines.
• dxDrawBordered3DLine »This function creates a bordered area with 3D dx lines.
• dxFade » This function fade-in or fade-out any dxDraw by gradually changing its alpha value.
• dxGetFontSizeFromHeight » This function calculates the font size from given height.
• dxGetRealFontHeight » This function calculates the height of a font.
• wordWrap » This function breaks a long string into a table of separate lines limited to a specific length in pixels, for drawing separately.
• CreateRectangle3D » This is a function that will create a 3d rectangle on the player screen.
• getScreenStartPositionFromBox » This function helps with getting the correct position for your dx-effects.

Effects functions

• attachEffect » This function allows you attach an effect to an element.
• setScreenFlash » This function will make the screen flash(like a screenshot).

Element functions

• autoAttach » This function attaches one element into another at the same position and rotation they are.
• attachElementToBone » This function allows you to attach an element to ped bone accurately using new bone functions.
• getElementDirectionCardialPoint » This function returns the direction of the element according to the wind rose.
• getElementSpeed » This function returns the specified element's speed in m/s, km/h or mph.
• getElementUsingData » This function returns table elements that contains the elements data with the given key and value.
• getElementZoneFullName » This function allows you to retrieve the zone full name of a element.
• getElementsInDimension » This function returns a table of elements that are in the specified dimension.
• getElementsWithinMarker » This function returns a table of elements that are within a marker's collision shape.
• getNearestElement » This function returns the nearest element (of a specific type) to a player.
• getPositionInFrontOfElement » This function returns position in provided distance away from element, including element's rotation.
• isElementInAir » This function checks if an element is in air or not.
• isElementInPhotograph » This function checks if an element is in the player's camera picture area.
• isElementInRange » This function allows you to check if an element's range to a main point is within the maximum range.
• isElementMoving » This function checks if an element is moving.
• isElementPlayer » This function checks whether the element is a player or not.
• isElementWithinAColShape » This function checks if an element is within a collision shape element.
• multi_check » This function checks one element to many, handy and clean.
• setElementSpeed » This function allows you to set the speed of an element in kph or mph units.

Events

• onClientPlayerTimeChange » This code implements an event that is triggered when the player's real time change.
• onPlayerZoneChange » This code implements an event that is triggered when the player enters a new area on the map.
• onVehicleWeaponFire » This code implements an event that is triggered when a player in a vehicle fires a vehicle's weapon.

Input functions

• bindControlKeys » This function allows you to bind each key bound to a control individually. Doing this bypasses a little MTA restriction.
• unbindControlKeys » This function allows you to unbind each key bound to a control individually. Use this function with bindControlKeys.
• getBoundControls » This function returns a table of control names that are bound to the specified key.
• isCommandHandlerAdded » This function allows you to check if a command is added or not in the respective resource.

Data functions

• levenshtein » This function can be used to calculate the Levenshtein distance between two strings.
• gregorianToJalali » This function converts gregorian date to jalali/shamsi date.
• byte2human » This function converts an integer (number of bytes) into a human-readable unit.
• capitalize » This function capitalizes a given string.
• convertDate » This function converts date to another look.
• convertServerTickToTimeStamp » This function converts server ticks to a unix timestamp.
• convertTextToSpeech » This function converts the provided text to a speech in the provided language which players can hear.
• findRotation3D » This function takes two sets of XYZ coordinates. It returns the 3D direction from point A to point B.
• findRotation » This function takes two points and returns the direction from point A to point B.
• formatDate » This function formats a date on the basis of a format string and returns it.
• formatNumber » This function formats large numbers by adding commas.
• generateRandomASCIIString » This function returns a random string which uses ASCII characters.
• generateString » This function generates a random string with any characters.
• getAge » This function calculates the age of a given birthday.
• getDistanceBetweenElements » Returns the distance between two elements.
• getDistanceBetweenPointAndSegment2D » This function takes point coordinates and line (a segment) starting and ending coordinates. It returns the shortest distance between the point and the line.
• getEasterDate » This function returns easter date monthday and month for a given year.
• getElementRelatedAngle » This function returns the related angle between one element to another. This is useful to check which side an element is to another.
• getFreeDimension » This function get free dimension.
• getOffsetFromXYZ » This function allows you to take an entity and a position and calculate the relative offset between them accounting for rotations.
• getPointFromDistanceRotation » This function finds a point based on a starting point, direction and distance.
• getRealMonth » This function returns the current month name
• getRGColorFromPercentage »This function returns two integers representing red and green colors according to the specified percentage.
• getScreenRotationFromWorldPosition » This function returns a screen relative rotation to a world position.
• getTimestamp » This function returns the UNIX timestamp of a specified date and time.
• gradientString » This function transforms a string in a new coloured gradient string.
• hex2rgb » This function convert hex to rgb.
• hexColorToRGB » This function convert hex string/number to RGBA values.
• isLeapYear » This function returns a boolean representing if a given year is a leap year.
• isValidMail » This function checks whether a provided e-mail string is valid.
• removeHex » This function is used to remove hexadecimal numbers (colors, for example) from strings.
• RGBToHex » This function returns a string representing the color in hexadecimal.
• RGBToHSV » This function convert RGB to HSV color space.
• RGBToDecimal » This function convert RGB to Decimal color.
• secondsToTimeDesc » This function converts a plain seconds-integer into a user-friendly time description.
• string.count » This function counts the amount of occurences of a string in a string.
• string.explode » This function splits a string at a given separator pattern and returns a table with the pieces.
• string.insert » This function inserts a string within another string at a given position.
• splitMultiple » This function improves the split function so that multiple characters can be used as the split at character.
• switch » This function allows the value of a variable or expression to control the flow of program execution via a multiway branch.
• tocolor2rgba » This function convert tocolor to rgba.
• toHex » This function converts a decimal number to a hexadecimal number, as a fix to be used client-side.
• var dump » This function outputs information about one or more variables using outputConsole.
• wavelengthToRGBA » This function converts a physical wavelength of light to a RGBA color.
• fixPersianString » This function returns a fixed sorted bilingual RTL for strings consisting of Farsi/Arabic and English.

GUI functions

• centerWindow » This function centers a CEGUI window element responsively in any resolution.
• isMouseOnGUICloseButton » This function allows you to check whether the mouse cursor/pointer is within a gui-window's native close button.
• isMouseOnGuiElement » This function allows you to check whether or not your mouse is over a specific gui element, this is especially useful if the gui element has a parent.
• guiMoveElement » This function moves guiElement by/like using moveObject.
• guiSetStaticImageMovable » This function allows you to move a static image like a gui window.

Comboboxes

• guiComboBoxAdjustHeight » This function adjusts a CEGUI combobox element to have the correct height.

Gridlists

• convertGridListToText » This function converts grid list contents to text.
• getGridListRowIndexFromText » This function returns the GridList row index from the specified text.
• guiGridListAddPlayers » This function add all online players to a grid list.
• isTextInGridList » This function checks if some text exist or not in the GridList.
• guiGridListGetColumnIDFromTitle » This function gets a gridlist's column ID from the column title.
• guiGridListGetSelectedText » This function returns a string containing the inner text of a selected gridlist item.
• guiGridListSetColumnNonSortable » This function makes a gridlist column become non-sortable.

Labels

• guiLabelAddEffect » This function add an effects to the gui-label like (shadow, outline).

Marker functions

• createMarkerAttachedTo » This function creates a marker that is attached to an element.

Math functions

• reMap » Re-maps a number from one range to another.
• math.clamp » This function returns the number between range of numbers or it's minimum or maximum.
• math.getBezierPoint » Get N-th order bezier point.
• math.hypot » This function returns the Hypotenuse of the triangle given by sides x and y.
• math.isPointInPolygon » Check if point is inside polygon or not.
• math.lerp » Get val between two integer.
• math.percent » This function returns a percentage from two number values.
• math.polygonArea » Compute area of any polygon.
• math.randomDiff » Generates a pseudo-random integer that's always different from the last random number generated.
• math.rotVecToEulerAngle » Rotation Vector To Euler Angle
• math.round » Rounds a number whereas the number of decimals to keep and the method may be set.
• mathNumber » This function is a workaround for the client-side floating-point precision of 24-bits.
• math.percentProgress » Returns a percentage progress from two specific values.
• math.average » This function returns the simple arithmetic mean of multiple numbers.
• math.absin » This function returns a formula representing the just positive half of a sine wave.

Map functions

• assignLod » This function lets you conveniently generate and apply a LOD model to a mapping object.
• getWorldPositionFromMapPosition » This function converts an F11 map position to world position.

Ped functions

• getAlivePlayersInTeam » This function returns a table of the alive players in a team.
• getGuestPlayers » This function gets a players not login or players Guest .
• getOnlineAdmins » This function returns a table of all logged-in administrators.
• getPedEyesPosition » This function allows you to get peds eyes position.
• getPedGender » This function allows you to get peds their gender.
• getPedMaxHealth » This function returns a pedestrians's maximum health by converting it from their maximum health stat.
• getPedMaxOxygenLevel » This function returns a ped's maximum oxygen level by converting it from their maximum underwater stamina stat.
• getPedWeaponSkill » This function returns a ped's corresponding weapon skill level name.
• getPedHitBone » This function gets the approximate number of the bone where the ped is hit.
• getPlayerFromNamePart » This function returns a player from partial name.
• getPlayerFromSerial » This function returns a player from their serial.
• getPlayersByData » This function returns a table of players that have the specified data name.
• getPlayersInPhotograph » This function returns a table of all players in photograph.
• getPlayersInVehicles » This function returns a table of the players insides vehicles from a specified dimension.
• getPlayerNameFromID » This function will get the player name from the ID element data.
• isPedAiming» This function checks if a pedestrian is aiming their weapon.
• isPedAimingNearPed » This is similar to isPedAiming but uses a colshape to be more precise.
• isPedDiving » This feature checks that pedestrian is diving in the water.
• isPedDrivingVehicle » This function checks if a specified pedestrian is driving a vehicle.
• isPedNearbyWall » This function checks if player/ped is nearby a objects like buildings or walls.
• isPlayerInTeam » This function checks if a player is in a specified team.
• setPedAttack » This function will make a ped attack a specified target.
• setPedFollow » This function will make a ped follow a specified target.

Player functions

• countPlayersInRange » This function returns the number of players that are within a certain range of the specified coordinates.
• getPlayerPreviousAndNextWeapon » This function returns the player previous and next weapon.
• getPlayersInRange » This function make a table of players within certain range.
• isPlayerActuallyInVehicle » This function checks if a player is actually in a vehicle instead of just in the process of entering.
• isPlayerHitByVehicle » This function cancels event when a element is hit by a vehicle.

Resource functions

• getResourceScripts » This function returns a table of the resource scripts.
• getResourceSettings » This function returns a table of the resource settings.
• getResourceSize » This function returns the size of a specified resource in kB(kilobyte)
• refreshResource » This function refreshes your resource if you changed any of the files
• setResourcePriority » This function set resource download priority group.

Sound functions

• isSoundFinished » This function checks if a sound element has finished.
• stopSoundSlowly » This function stop your sound element slowly.

Browser functions

• playVideo » This function plays a video on the screen.

Team functions

• getTeamFromColor » This function returns a team element by the specified color.
• getTeamWithFewestPlayers » This function returns a team element with least players of all the specified teams.

Vehicle functions

• findEmptyCarSeat » This function finds you the first empty seat in a vehicle.
• getNearestVehicle » This function gets the nearest vehicle to the specified player in a specified distance.
• getRandomVehicle » This function gets a random vehicle.
• getValidVehicleModels » This function returns a table of all valid vehicle models.
• getVehiclesCountByType » This function returns the amount of vehicles by the given type as an integer value.
• getVehicleTurnVelocityCenterOfMass» This function gets a vehicle's turn velocity relative to the vehicle's center or mass.
• isVehicleDoubleExhaust » This function checks is exhaust vehicle double.
• isVehicleEmpty » This function checks whether a vehicle is empty.
• isVehicleOccupied » This function checks if a specified vehicle is occupied.
• isVehicleOnRoof » This function checks whether vehicle is on roof.
• isVehicleOnFire » This function checks if the vehicle is on fire or not.
• isVehicleReversing » This function checks if a specified vehicle is moving backwards.
• isVehicleUpgraded » This function checks is vehicle upgraded by upgrade ID.
• setVehicleGravityPoint » This function sets a vehicle's gravity in the direction of a 3 dimensional coordinate with the strength specified.
• setVehicleTurnVelocityCenterOfMass » This function sets a vehicle's turn velocity relative to the vehicle's center or mass.
• setVehicleHandlingFromText » This function sets a vehicle's handling from text.
• setVehicleWheelModel » This function changes the wheel model of the informed vehicle.

Weapon functions

• getJetpackWeaponsEnabled » This function returns a table of enabled weapons usable on a jetpack.

Object functions

• getDynamicDoorObjectOpenRatio » This function tells you how open a dynamic door is in a range from 0 to 1.
• isElementObject » This function tells you if an element is an object or no.

XML functions

• getXMLNodes » This function returns all children of a XML node.

Engine functions

• engineGetCOLsFromLibrary » This function gets the collision data from the col library.
• engineLoadIMGContainer » This function loads the IMG container.

Utility

• animate » This function allows you to use interpolateBetween without render event and easily used.
• callClientFunction » This function allows you to call any client-side function from the server's side.
• callServerFunction » This function allows you to call any server-side function from the client's side.
• check » This function checks if its arguments are of the right type and calls the error-function if one is not.
• checkPassiveTimer » This function allows you to use passive timers in your conditions. For example you want to prevent players repeatedly using a command.
• coroutine.resume » This function applies a fix for hidden coroutine error messages.
• compact » This function create table containing variables and their values.
• getBanBySerial » This function returns the ban if the serial is banned.
• getBanFromName » This functions returns the ban of the given playername.
• getCurrentFPS » This function returns the frames per second at which GTA: SA is running.
• getSkinNameFromID » This function returns the name of the skin from the given id.
• IfElse » This function returns one of two values based on a boolean expression.
• isLastExecuteInTimer » This function check if the execute is the last execute in the timer.
• isMouseInCircle » This function checks if a cursor position is in circular area or not.
• isMouseInPosition » This function allows you to check whether the mouse cursor/pointer is within a rectangular position.
• iterElements » This function returns a time-saving iterator for your for-loops.
• PlotTrajectoryAtTime » Calculate projectile/water trajectory.
• preprocessor » This function allow you to use gcc macros.
• vector3:compare » This method checks whether two vectors match, with optional precision.
• svgCreateRoundedRectangle » This function creates a rectangle with rounded edges.
• debounce » This function is removing unwanted input noise.
• listAllFiles » This function lists all files and subdirectories within a given directory and its subdirectories.

String functions

• string.endsWith » This function checks if a string ends with other string.
• string.startsWith » This function checks if a string starts with other string.
• string.repetition » This function repeats a substring n times.