import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.Date;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;

public class DateExamples {
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        // ========================================================
        // Part 1. Print current date and time in default format...
        // ========================================================

        // Use the Calendar class to get a snapshot of this precise moment.
        // Convert to a Date and then to a string.

        Calendar thisInstant = Calendar.getInstance(); 
        Date rightNow = thisInstant.getTime(); 
        String ex1    = rightNow.toString();

        System.out.println("Part 1. Current time/date (default format):  " + ex1);
        System.out.println("");

        // ================================================================
        // Part 2.  Get the current date and time, and print it out in a
        // specified way as described by the SimpleDateFormat that we've
        // designated below.

        // An alternative way to get the current date and time that doesn't
        // involve the Calendar class.
        // ================================================================

        Date now = new Date(System.currentTimeMillis());
        SimpleDateFormat sdfEx2 = new SimpleDateFormat("EEEE, MMM d, yyyy hh:mm aaa");
        String ex2 = sdfEx2.format(now);

        System.out.println("Part 2. Current time and date (custom format):  " + ex2);
        System.out.println();

        // ================================================================
        // Part 3. Print today's date (only) in a specified way as described
        // by the alternative SimpleDateFormat that we've designated.
        // ================================================================

        SimpleDateFormat sdfEx3 = new SimpleDateFormat("MMMM d, yyyy");
        String ex3 = sdfEx3.format(now);

        System.out.println("Part 3. Today's date (custom format 1):  " + ex3);
        System.out.println();

        // ================================================================
        // Part 4. Print today's date (only) in yet another format.
        // ================================================================

        SimpleDateFormat sdfEx4 = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/dd/yyyy");
        String ex4 = sdfEx4.format(now);

        System.out.println("Part 4. Today's date (custom format 2): " + ex4);
        System.out.println();

        // ================================================================
        // Part 5. Craft a specific date as a Date object.
        // ================================================================

        Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
        cal.set(1975, Calendar.DECEMBER, 1 );
        Date birthDate = cal.getTime();

        // We'll reuse the SimpleDateFormat from above.

        String ex5 = sdfEx4.format(birthDate);

        System.out.println("Part 5. Birth date:  " + ex5);
        System.out.println();

        // ================================================================
        // Part 6. Compare two dates...
        // ================================================================

        // We'll reuse the Calendar instance from Part 5 to craft two
        // different Dates.

        cal.set(2005, Calendar.JULY, 1);
        Date startSummerVacation = cal.getTime();
        cal.set(2005, Calendar.JUNE, 1);
        Date endSummerVacation = cal.getTime();

        // We'll use the before() method to compare the dates (note that there's
        // also an after() method and an equals() method ...).

        System.out.println("*** Part 6. Check scheduling of summer vacation" );
        System.out.println("*** ===========================================" );

        if (startSummerVacation.before( endSummerVacation) ) 
            System.out.println("*** Dates are in correct order" );
        else 
            System.out.println("*** Dates are in incorrectly ordered!!!" );
    }
}