Putting the date on your website

**Kamran** · Apr 17, 2001 21:40

Hi,

I was wondering how websites have the date at the top of their pages, i.e.

Wednesday 18th April 2001

Thanks

Kam

**broken** · Apr 17, 2001 22:26

One way...between <head></head> add:

Code:

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function MakeArray(n) {
	this.length = n
	return this
}
monthNames = new MakeArray(12)
monthNames[1] = "January"
monthNames[2] = "February"
monthNames[3] = "March"
monthNames[4] = "April"
monthNames[5] = "May"
monthNames[6] = "June"
monthNames[7] = "July"
monthNames[8] = "August"
monthNames[9] = "September"
monthNames[10] = "October"
monthNames[11] = "November"
monthNames[12] = "December"
dayNames = new MakeArray(7)
dayNames[1] = "Sunday"
dayNames[2] = "Monday"
dayNames[3] = "Tuesday"
dayNames[4] = "Wednesday"
dayNames[5] = "Thursday"
dayNames[6] = "Friday"
dayNames[7] = "Saturday"

function customDateString() {
	currentDate = new Date()
	var theDay = dayNames[currentDate.getDay() + 1]
	var theMonth = monthNames[currentDate.getMonth() + 1]
	msie4 = ((navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer") && (parseInt(navigator.appVersion) >= 4 ));
	if (msie4) {
	    var theYear = currentDate.getYear()
	}
	else {
	     var theYear = currentDate.getYear() +1900
	}
	return theDay + ", " + theMonth + " " + currentDate.getDate() + ", " + theYear
}
//-->
</SCRIPT>

Place this within your page where you would like it:

Code:

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
document.write(customDateString())
</SCRIPT>

**chickaboom** · Apr 17, 2001 22:27

I do believe it's a javascript. Here are some from JavaScript Source:

http://javascript.internet.com/clocks/index.html

**Percipient** · Apr 17, 2001 22:49

Heh, I was almost finished writing an answer, and the power went out. Thankful only for a minute or so.

Anyway, JavaScript works best if you're on a server that doesn't support anything server side, like a free server. You can also use php, if your server supports it...

PHP Code:


<?PHP

 print date ("l, F jS, Y");

?>

This would give you something like "Tuesday, April 17th, 2001"

You can also use SSI (again, only if your server supports it), but you have less control over the format of the output.

Code:

<!--#ECHO VAR="DATE_LOCAL" -->

The trouble these two methods is they use the server's time, rather than the client's time. This can be overcome in PHP, if you know the client's time zone, but it's not great. JavaScript is probably the best bet. Just remember, not everyone has it turned on, though.

**Kamran** · Apr 17, 2001 23:02

Hi,

Thanks very much for all the replies!

I've gone with the JavaScript - which works fine! - thx

Kam

**freakysid** · Apr 17, 2001 23:06

Of course, the javascript solution will give the system date of the client machine which may be different to that of the server depending on where in the world the client is located.

**koolbrian** · Apr 18, 2001 01:30

and how to change the fonts, color, ????? (javascript one)

Brian

**Skunk** · Apr 18, 2001 03:53

Brian - just add tags setting the font and colour around the script tag like this:

Code:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2 color="#000000"><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
document.write(customDateString())
</SCRIPT></font>

**Kamran** · Apr 18, 2001 05:23

Thx Skunk plus that post on php/mysql was great!

Kam

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