---
title: "CFDateFormatterCreateDateFormatFromTemplate(_:_:_:_:)"
framework: corefoundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Function
path: "corefoundation/cfdateformattercreatedateformatfromtemplate(_:_:_:_:)"
---

# CFDateFormatterCreateDateFormatFromTemplate(_:_:_:_:)

Returns a localized date format string representing the given date format components arranged appropriately for the specified locale.

## Declaration

```swift
func CFDateFormatterCreateDateFormatFromTemplate(_ allocator: CFAllocator!, _ tmplate: CFString!, _ options: CFOptionFlags, _ locale: CFLocale!) -> CFString!
```

## Parameters

- `allocator`: The allocator to use to allocate memory for the new object. Pass NULL or kCFAllocatorDefault to use the current default allocator.
- `tmplate`: A string containing date format patterns (such as “MM” or “h”). For full details, see http://www.unicode.org/reports/tr35/tr35-31/tr35-dates.html#Date_Format_Patterns.
- `options`: No options are currently defined—pass 0.
- `locale`: The locale for which the template is required.

## Return Value

Return Value A localized date format string representing the date format components given in template, arranged appropriately for the locale specified by locale. Ownership follows the The Create Rule.

## Discussion

Discussion The returned string may not contain exactly those components given in template, but may—for example—have locale-specific adjustments applied. Discussion Different locales have different conventions for the ordering of date components. You use this method to get an appropriate format string for a given set of components for a specified locale (typically you use the current locale—see CFLocaleCopyCurrent()). The following example shows the difference between the date formats for British and American English: CFStringRef dateComponents = CFSTR("yMMMMd");   CFLocaleRef usLocale = CFLocaleCreate(NULL, CFSTR("en_US")); CFStringRef usDateFormatString =     CFDateFormatterCreateDateFormatFromTemplate(NULL, dateComponents, 0, usLocale); // Date format for English (United States): MMMM d, y   CFLocaleRef gbLocale = CFLocaleCreate(NULL, CFSTR("en_GB")); CFStringRef gbDateFormatString =     CFDateFormatterCreateDateFormatFromTemplate(NULL, dateComponents, 0, gbLocale); // Date format for English (United Kingdom): d MMMM y

## See Also

### Creating Strings From Data

- [CFDateFormatterCreateStringWithAbsoluteTime(_:_:_:)](corefoundation/cfdateformattercreatestringwithabsolutetime(_:_:_:).md)
- [CFDateFormatterCreateStringWithDate(_:_:_:)](corefoundation/cfdateformattercreatestringwithdate(_:_:_:).md)