JAL-1448 always use UK locale for formatted date properties

[jalview.git] / src / jalview / bin / Cache.java

diff --git a/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java b/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java
index 4be7830..76fdb69 100755 (executable)
--- a/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java
+++ b/src/jalview/bin/Cache.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
+import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 
@@ -237,6 +238,15 @@ public class Cache
   private final static String DEFAULT_PDB_FILE_PARSER = StructureImportSettings.StructureParser.JMOL_PARSER
           .toString();
 
+  /*
+   * a date formatter using a fixed (rather than the user's) locale; 
+   * this ensures that date properties can be written and re-read successfully
+   * even if the user changes their locale setting
+   */
+  private static final DateFormat date_format = SimpleDateFormat
+          .getDateTimeInstance(SimpleDateFormat.LONG,
+                  SimpleDateFormat.LONG, Locale.UK);
+
   /**
    * Initialises the Jalview Application Log
    */
@@ -884,31 +894,32 @@ public class Cache
   {
     setProperty(property, jalview.util.Format.getHexString(colour));
   }
-
-  public static final DateFormat date_format = SimpleDateFormat
-          .getDateTimeInstance();
-
+  
   /**
-   * store a date in a jalview property
+   * Stores a formatted date in a jalview property, using a fixed locale.
    * 
-   * @param string
-   * @param time
+   * @param propertyName
+   * @param date
+   * @return the formatted date string
    */
-  public static void setDateProperty(String property, Date time)
+  public static String setDateProperty(String propertyName, Date date)
   {
-    setProperty(property, date_format.format(time));
+    String formatted = date_format.format(date);
+    setProperty(propertyName, formatted);
+    return formatted;
   }
 
   /**
-   * read a date stored in a jalview property
+   * Reads a date stored in a Jalview property, parses it (using a fixed locale
+   * format) and returns as a Date, or null if parsing fails
    * 
-   * @param property
-   * @return valid date as stored by setDateProperty, or null
+   * @param propertyName
+   * @return
    * 
    */
-  public static Date getDateProperty(String property)
+  public static Date getDateProperty(String propertyName)
   {
-    String val = getProperty(property);
+    String val = getProperty(propertyName);
     if (val != null)
     {
       try
@@ -917,7 +928,7 @@ public class Cache
       } catch (Exception ex)
       {
         System.err.println("Invalid or corrupt date in property '"
-                + property + "' : value was '" + val + "'");
+                + propertyName + "' : value was '" + val + "'");
       }
     }
     return null;