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====== Date(datetime, format) ======
Category:  Date and Time function

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=====Description=====
This function converts //datetime// as text into a date-time value represented as a number (date-time serial value) according to //format// string.

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=====Use cases=====
//Date// is used to convert a text-based date-time value into its corresponding date-time serial value so it may be used in date-time-related calculations, e.g. the differences between two dates, day-of-the-week determinations, etc.

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=====Arguments=====
^Argument^Type^Description^
|datetime  |Text  |A text value representing a date and/or time value to be converted to a numeric date-time serial value.|
|format  |Text  |(Optional) The layout of the date-time components in //datetime// describing the order and type of the date-time components. If omitted, EasyMorph will attempt to detect the date format automatically. See the "Date-Time format components" tables below.|

**Return value type:** Number (date-time serial value).

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==== Date-Time format string components ====
A //format string// defines a formatting template for dates and times. Its components can be put together in any combination. If a character doesn't belong to a format component then it's inserted verbatim.

The specifiers below are case-sensitive :!:.
^  Date format specifier^  Description  ^
|  d  |The day of the month, from 1 through 31.  |
|  dd  |The day of the month, from 01 through 31.  |
|  ddd  |The abbreviated name of the day of the week.  |
|  M  |The month, from 1 through 12.  |
|  MM  |The month, from 01 through 12.  |
|  MMM  |The abbreviated name of the month.  |
|  MMMM  |The full name of the month.  |
|  y  |The year, from 0 to 99.  |
|  yy  |The year, from 00 to 99.  |
|  yyyy  |The year as a four-digit number.  |

^  Time format specifier^  Description  ^
|  h  |The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 1 to 12.  |
|  hh  |The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 01 to 12.  |
|  H  |The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 0 to 23.  |
|  HH  |The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 00 to 23.  |
|  m  |The minute, from 0 through 59.  |
|  mm  |The minute, from 00 through 59.  |
|  s  |The second, from 0 through 59.  |
|  ss  |The second, from 00 through 59.  |
|  t  |The first character of the AM/PM designator.  |
|  tt  |The AM/PM designator.  |


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=====Remarks=====
This function returns the date-time serial value of the //datetime// input but, depending on the format of the column, may display it as a readable date or a date-serial value.  For example, January 1st, 2014 is represented as "41640" numerically.  EasyMoprh displays this value as the readable date "01-Jan-2014" if a date-time format for the column has been selected.  Under the hood, the actual value is "41640".

To see the date-time serial values in a column of dates, double-click the column's heading and select the "Metadata" tab in the "Filter/Profile" window.  In the "Number format" drop-down, select "No format" to have the date-time serial numbers display in the column instead of the formatted dates.  Switch back to one of the date-time formats to view the formatted date-times.

If a time value is used for the //datetime// argument, the return value will use today's date for the date component.

While it can be convenient, in some cases, to omit the //format//, it is recommended to specify the date format explicitly, when possible, to ensure deterministic behavior.
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=====Examples=====

**Dates:**
  date('20140101', 'yyyyMMdd')  //Returns 41640 (Displays as 01-01-2014.)

  date('14-01-01', 'yy-MM-dd')  //Returns 41640 (Displays as 01-01-2014.)

  date('30/12/2000', 'dd/MM/yyyy') //Returns 44556 (Displays as 30-12-2000.)

  date('20140101','yy-MM-dd') //Returns #Can't convert to date (Invalid format)

  date('2023-Nov-4') //(Omitted format) Returns 45234
  

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**Times:**
  date('20140101 0300AM', 'yyyyMMdd hhmmtt')  //Returns 41640.125 (Displays as 2014-01-01 03:00:00.)

  date('14-01-01 120030', 'yy-MM-dd HHmmss')  //Returns 41640.5003472222 (Displays as 2014-01-01 12:00:30.)

  date('0600PM', 'hhmmtt') //Returns 44437.75 (Displays as 2021-08-29 18:00:00; uses current date.)



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===== See also =====
  * [[syntax:functions:makedate|MakeDate(year,month,day)]]
  * [[syntax:functions:format|Format(date,format)]]
  * [[https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8kb3ddd4(v=vs.110).aspx|MSDN: Custom Date and Time Format Strings]]