.. _auto_string_date_now:

*STRING CONTAINS*
=================

Returns the current date (and optionally time) as a formatted string. Use this worker whenever a workflow needs a human-readable timestamp, such as for report titles, file naming, or audit logs.

When to use
-----------

Classification: **process**.

Tagged: ``date``, ``datetime``, ``format``, ``now``, ``process``, ``string``, ``timestamp``.

Inputs
------

.. list-table::
   :header-rows: 1
   :widths: 20 20 20 20 20 20

   * - Label
     - ID
     - Type
     - Default
     - Required
     - Description
   * - Format
     - format
     - scalar
     - opt1
     - ✓
     - Output format for the current date/time string; opt1 = 'July 1, 2024', opt2 = 'July 1, 2024, 5:15 pm', opt3 = 'Month-Day-Year', opt4 = 'Month-Day-Year Hour:Min:Sec', opt5 = 'Hour:Min:Sec Month-Day-Year'; defaults to opt1 (long date, no time).

Outputs
-------

.. list-table::
   :header-rows: 1
   :widths: 20 20 20 20

   * - Label
     - ID
     - Type
     - Description
   * - string_date_now_output_1
     - string_date_now_output_1
     - scalar
     - The current date/time as a plain text scalar string formatted according to the selected format option (e.g., 'July 1, 2024').

Disciplines
-----------

- data.io.file
- platform.workflow

Runnable example
----------------

A runnable example is registered for this worker. Open the example workflow on the d3VIEW canvas: `/api/workflow/example?id=string_date_now <https://www.d3view.com/api/workflow/example?id=string_date_now>`_

.. raw:: html

   <hr style="margin-top:2em">
   <p style="font-size:11px;color:#888">
   Auto-generated from <code>transformation</code> schema. Worker id: <code>string_date_now</code>. Schema hash: <code>614c6961920d</code>. Hand-curated docs in <code>workerexamples/</code> override this page when present.
   </p>