timestrftime

Timestrftime is a programming utility name used in some libraries to convert a time value into a formatted string according to a specified format. It is conceptually similar to the standard strftime function, but may appear in nonstandard or language-specific contexts. The function typically takes a time value or time structure and a format string, returning a string that represents the given time in the requested layout.

In common usage, timestrftime accepts two arguments: a format specification and a time value (which can be a timestamp, a broken-down time structure, or a datetime object, depending on the language). The exact parameter order and memory management depend on the implementation. The return value is the formatted time string, or an error indicator if the input is invalid. Some implementations may raise exceptions for errors, while others return an empty string.

Format specifiers for timestrftime are usually aligned with those used by strftime, featuring placeholders such as %Y for year, %m for month, %d for day, %H for hour (24-hour clock), %M for minute, %S for second, and additional modifiers for locale, timezone, and fractional seconds. The availability of these specifiers and their exact behavior can vary by library or locale settings.

Notes and caveats: differences in locale, time zone handling, and daylight saving rules can affect output. Some environments provide extended specifiers for microseconds, week numbers, or ordinal dates. Documentation for a given implementation of timestrftime should be consulted to confirm supported formats, argument order, and error handling.

See also: strftime, time, localtime, gmtime, datetime formatting.