[Failed] Set date & time formats - How?

[markfilipak]

===== Failed =====
Apparently, unlike Windows, Linux has no centralized date & time format setting. I guess it's up to each application how dates and times are presented. For example, a file browser (such as Thunar) will format dates using its own settings while an email program (such as Thunderbird) will format dates using its own settings. You can make them the same or different. It's up to you. That can be a one-time pain, or it can be a blessing depending upon your outlook.
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I apologize if this is a primitive question. I've searched for clues off and on for a few days.

I'd like to globally set date format to `yy-mm-dd
To clarify: That's
the ` character (left-single quote) followed by
the last 2 digits of the date followed by
hyphen followed by
the month as a 2-digit 1-based index (zero padded if less than 10) followed by
hyphen followed by
the day-of-month as a 2-digit 1-based index (zero padded if less than 10).

I'd like to globally set time format to HH:mm
To clarify: That's
24-hour hour as 2-digit 1-based index (zero padded if less than 10) followed by
colon followed by
2-digit seconds (zero padded if less than 10).

Perhaps this can't be set. I don't know. I'm relatively new to Linux. I did try all the 'Settings' applications in Whisker Menu. I searched the net. Most of the answers I found either were not answers, or were about setting the date &/or time (though I included the word "format" in the search), or were not understandable to me (either because of jargon or undisclosed knowledge of Linux internals &/or CLI commands).

To further clarify, I'm not looking to set the date & time, but to set the format for display of the date & time, and to set it globally so that all applications that display dates, or times, or dates & times are consistent.

Thank You.

[kyphi]

Although I am not that familiar with Xfce, time is usually set via a right click on the date shown and altering the way it is displayed.
The following URL will provide you with all the information you need to set your preferred date format:
http://www.foragoodstrftime.com/

[markfilipak]

Thank you, kyphi,

That was a perfect push. I now know that the format string I seek is:
`%y-%m-%d %H:%M
Now, what do I do with it? -- That is, where do I store it where it will impact programs?

[kyphi]

Right click on the date entry (bottom right) and open the configuration screen.

[markfilipak]

Right click on the date entry (bottom right) and open the configuration screen.

Thanks. I don't normally display the date & time, but I enabled it so I could set the format. That part worked (provided I have 'datetime' enabled in the menu of course), but it didn't affect the way that file dates are displayed in either doublecmd or thunar. Do I need to do more?

[kyphi]

As I pointed out above, I do not use Xfce or Thunar and am therefore unable to advise the further details you have asked for.

Since your original question has been solved, I suggest that you make a new post and focus on one question at a time.

[Pierre]

"To further clarify, I'm not looking to set the date & time, but to set the format for display of the date & time,
and to set it globally so that all applications that display dates, or times, or dates & times are consistent."

that's probably *not* possible.


you can change the 'displayed time' that is shown by the clock,
that is usually shown in the corner of the display, though.
- some O/Ss are more flexible, in this area, - than some others are.

you would have to go into the settings area of each program, in turn,
and check if anything can be changed, for that individual program.

[markfilipak]

As I pointed out above, I do not use Xfce or Thunar and am therefore unable to advise the further details you have asked for.

Since your original question has been solved, I suggest that you make a new post and focus on one question at a time.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Perhaps you misunderstood my original post. I thought I was asking just one question: how can I set date & time format "so that all applications that display dates, or times, or dates & times are consistent."

[kyphi]

No, you did not upset me and I thank you for your consideration.

I do not seem to have any applications installed that automatically show the current date and am curious as to what these might be.

[markfilipak]

No, you did not upset me and I thank you for your consideration.

As I thank you for your courtesy.

I do not seem to have any applications installed that automatically show the current date and am curious as to what these might be.

'Doublecmd' and 'Thunar' are both file system browsers (aka: file managers). They display file directory contents. They display the date & time of the most recent file-write for each file listed in the currently displayed directory. Also, 'Thunderbird', an email client, displays the date & time for each message sent or received. I don't use them, but I'm sure task schedulers also utilize date & time. There are probably many other programs that also utilize date & time.

In Microsoft Windows, the display formats for those dates & times are set using a "Region and Language" applet that is part of "Control Panel". That applet (and other similar applets) operate directly on a centralized, in-memory database called the "Registry". The Registry is loaded from disk on start-up, altered during a Windows session, and saved to disk on shut-down. Since the Registry is memory-based, it's thousands of times faster than disk file-based settings.

Apparently, Linux has no equivalent for either the "Control Panel" or the "Registry". Too bad.

[markfilipak]

To further clarify, I'm not looking to set the date & time, but to set the format for display of the date & time, and to set it globally so that all applications that display dates, or times, or dates & times are consistent.

you would have to go into the settings area of each program, in turn, and check if anything can be changed, for that individual program.

Thank you, Pierre. I know how difficult it is to be the bearer of bad news. But it helps to know the truth. It actually does. It's helpful to know that I have to dial back my expectations for Linux. Knowing that improves my chances of asking better questions, and reduces the chances that I'll ruffle some folk's feathers.

[kyphi]

Thank you for the detailed answer to my question.

I use Cinnamon and can inform you that my date preferences are carried over to those applications that show that information exactly as I have specified using the method described above.

Both Nemo, the Cinnamon file manager and Thunderbird offer date configuration screens although I cannot recall ever setting these separately from the date configuration in the panel. So it appears that the Time & Date Settings are indeed applied system wide.

Is it possible that since you have your Linux Mint installation in VirtualBox that these settings do not function as expected?

Apparently, Linux has no equivalent for either the "Control Panel" or the "Registry". Too bad.

Linux is not a clone of Windows; if it were, there would be no point to use one in preference to the other. For me "Linux floats my boat".

[markfilipak]

Both Nemo, the Cinnamon file manager and Thunderbird offer date configuration screens although I cannot recall ever setting these separately from the date configuration in the panel. So it appears that the Time & Date Settings are indeed applied system wide.

Well, my friend, here's the test: Did you change the date format? What date format are you using? You're on the west side of the international date line, so is today "2/12/2015" or "2015-02-12" or what? I prefer `15-02-12. Ah, well, it doesn't matter really because I don't run Cinnamon.

Is it possible that since you have your Linux Mint installation in VirtualBox that these settings do not function as expected?

Not a chance. Linux Mint thinks it's real. It has no way of knowing it's merely a member of "The Matrix".

Apparently, Linux has no equivalent for either the "Control Panel" or the "Registry". Too bad.

Linux is not a clone of Windows; if it were, there would be no point to use one in preference to the other. For me "Linux floats my boat".

Well, I think they both suck. Windows sucks for its lack of security, and Linux sucks for its lack of usability. I run both of course, but I don't allow Windows on the Internet, and I don't have much use for Linux except as a more secure browser running in an operating system that's less apt to be compromised. I do my on-line banking in a dedicated virtual machine that's created fresh for each session and destroyed immediately thereafter.

[kyphi]

The date format is one of several configurations I change when using a new version of Linux Mint.
The back to front sequence set for the US market seems illogical to me - hence, for today I use "Thursday, 12 February, 10:10 am". I do not need reminding of the year. I also change the start of the week from Sunday to Monday.

I agree that Windows sucks, some versions more than others. I have a copy of W7 in VirtualBox merely to access some obscure software that only works in Windows (e.g. CPAP machine software). Like you, I deny internet access to Windows.

My daily operating system for the past 10 years has been and still is Linux. I have discovered how much more powerful Linux is than Windows and how malleable to meet my needs, an option denied to me by Windows.

This thread is developing into a topic for the "Chat" heading

[mingle]

Hi guys,

After searching in vain for a solution, I stumbled across this thread.

I just installed LM17.1 XFCE on my system and now want to set the system-wide date and time formats
to be something along the lines of what I had on my Windows XP box (which were configurable under
the Regional/Locale setting in Control Panel).

However, I can't see any options for this. It's actually a bit of a deal-breaker and it does seem crazy that
it's not an easily-configurable item.

Please someone tell me I'm missing out on some obviously setting that I can easily change?

Cheers,

Mike.

[alpha0]

Do you have the whisker menu available? It should be represented by the mint icon.
Click on that, then click in the little search box and start typing 'languages'.



An item should come up that says "Languages"; click on that, and you should get to the settings for changing how the date/time/currency/etc. are displayed.

You'll probably want the button that says 'Region' near it. When I clicked on it, I just got a list of the language/country combinations I could choose from, no examples of how the formatting would look in them. I assume you choose whichever one you want, then click the button that says 'Apply System-Wide' (but make sure the button near 'Language', should be the first one, doesn't say anything other than a language you can understand). All my settings are for U.S. English, utf-8, so I'm only assuming this is how it all works. You can try it out since you're in a virtual machine (assuming you don't have any super important data on it, in case you get a system whose interface you can't understand).

[mingle]

Thanks for the info...

The Language settings you mention are showing the correct selection for my region (Australia)
but there is no option to customise the actually formatting of date and time.

I'm guess there's no simply way to adjust it, which is a pity.

Each release of Linux Mint gets closer to being 'just right', but I guess there are still
a few very simple things that still need addressing.

Cheers,

Mike.