"d" and "dd" Custom Format Specifier in LightSwitch 2012

Here we will see the difference and the use of the "d" and "dd" Custom Format Specifiers in LightSwitch Visual Studio 2012.

"d" Custom Format Specifier

The "d" custom format specifier represents the day of the month (a number from 1 through 31). A single-digit day is represented without a leading zero.

Note: If the "d" format specifier is used without other custom format specifiers, it is considered as the "d" standard date and time format specifier.

"dd" Custom Format Specifier

The "dd" custom format specifier represents the day of the month (a number from 01 through 31). A leading zero is included with a single-digit day.

Use the following procedure to create a sample showing how to use the "d"and "dd" Format Specifiers on a Screen.

Step 1

Open the LightSwitch Application in Visual Studio 2012 and go to the Solution Explorer.

Solution Explorer

Right-click on "Data Sources" and choose "Add Table".

Add Table

The table appears in the Table Designer window. Insert the records in the following table.

Employee Table

Step 2

Now once again go to the Solution Explorer, right-click on "Screens" and choose "Add Screen".

Add Screen

The Add New Screen dialog box appears. Select the "Editable Grid Screen" from the Screen Template, inside screen information, choose "Employee" under screen data and provide some name to the Screen and click the "OK" button.

Add New Screen

The Screen Designer appears as shown below.

Screen Designer

Press F5 to run the application. Provide the information; we will get the following output. 

Output of Editable Grid Screen

Step 3

Now stop debugging the application. From the Table Designer select the "DOB" record as shown in the figure below.

Select DOB from Employee.jpg

Then go to the Format Pattern of Property window in the Table Designer and enter "d" in the format pattern of the properties as shown below. Here the "d" format specifier is used without other custom format specifiers, so it is considered as the "d" standard date and time format specifier.


d Format Pattern Property

Once again press F5 to run the application. This time we will get the following output.

Output using d Format Pattern

Now if we use "d"
with other custom format specifiers ("M") in the format pattern of properties.

date month format pattern property

This time when we run the following application; we get the following output.

Output of date month pattern

Step 4

Once again stop debugging the application and 
select the "DOB" record from the table.

Now go to the Format Pattern of Property window in the Table Designer and this time enter "dd" in the format pattern as shown below.

dd format pattern property

Once again press F5 to run the application. This time we will get the following output.

Output using dd format specifier

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