google apps scripts date formatting

Question

I'm having trouble with something that should be very simple - just creating a Date() in Google Apps Script (javascript)

var thisdate = new Date('2017-02-12');
Logger.log(thisdate.toString());

This test results in 'Invalid Date'... I must be missing something really obvious!?

Thanks

Answer 1

Unfortunately, a date string in the format of '2017-02-12' won't work in Apps Script, even though it should be a valid JavaScript date string. You can replace the dashes with slashes, and it will work.

var d,string;

string = '2017-02-12';

if (string.indexOf("-") !== -1) {//A dash was found in the date string
  string = string.replace(/-/g,"/");//Replace dashes with slashes
  Logger.log(string)
  d = new Date(string);
} else {
  d = new Date(string);
}

Logger.log(d)

Answer 2

You can pass the numbers, separated by comma, as arguments to the Date object constructor.

var d = new Date(2017, 2, 12); //year, month, date. 

The months start with 0, so 2 is actually March. In the example below, the output for month will be 3

  Logger.log(Utilities.formatDate(d, timezone, "dd-MM-yyyy"));