Using JavaScript, capture the current date and time and store it in a .txt file with the corresponding format

Question

Using JavaScript, capture the current date and time and store it in a .txt file with the corresponding format

Objective: Upon clicking the download link, an automatically named file will be downloaded with today's date and time format. For example, 7-3-2021 04:04:00 PM or any applicable format with the date and time included in the name.

Below is the code snippet for the download link:

<a download="info.txt" id="downloadlink" style="display: none"><button class="btn btn-block btn-warning">Download</button></a>

And here is the code for the function:

(function () {
        var textFile = null,
          makeTextFile = function (text) {
            text = text.replace(/\n/g, "\r\n");
            var data = new Blob([text], {type: 'text/plain'});

            // If we are replacing a previously generated file we need to
            // manually revoke the object URL to avoid memory leaks.
            if (textFile !== null) {
              window.URL.revokeObjectURL(textFile);
            }

            textFile = window.URL.createObjectURL(data);

            return textFile;
          };

          var create = document.getElementById('create'),
            textbox = document.getElementById('todayGeneratedReport');

          create.addEventListener('click', function () {
            var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
            link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
            link.style.display = 'block';
          }, false);
        })();

Although the code is correct, I am facing issues with implementing the date and time format for the downloaded file. Currently, the file is saved as info.txt when the link is clicked. Is it necessary to create a new function and link it to the download property of the link? Any assistance on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

javascript bootstrap-4

Answer 1

Answer №1

In addition to changing the link's href and style, you have the option to modify its download attribute as well. Check out this method:

create.addEventListener('click', function () {
  var filename = new Date().toLocaleString('en-US') + '.txt';
   
  var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
  link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
  link.setAttribute('download', filename);
  link.style.display = 'block';
}, false);

Answer 2

In addition to changing the link's href and style, you have the option to modify its download attribute as well. Check out this method:

create.addEventListener('click', function () {
  var filename = new Date().toLocaleString('en-US') + '.txt';
   
  var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
  link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
  link.setAttribute('download', filename);
  link.style.display = 'block';
}, false);

Answer 3

Answer №2

HTML5 introduces the a[download] attribute, allowing you to rename downloaded files. For example, you can download link.txt and rename it as today.txt.

<a download="today.txt" href="link.txt" id="downloadlink" style="display: none"><button class="btn btn-block btn-warning">Download</button></a>

If you want the file to be named with today's date, simply include it in the download attribute.

To achieve this dynamically, make a slight modification to your code.

create.addEventListener('click', function () {
            var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
            link.download = formatDate(new Date());
            link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
            link.style.display = 'block';
          }, false);

You can customize the formatDate function as needed:

const formatDate = (date)=>date.now();

Answer 4

HTML5 introduces the a[download] attribute, allowing you to rename downloaded files. For example, you can download link.txt and rename it as today.txt.

<a download="today.txt" href="link.txt" id="downloadlink" style="display: none"><button class="btn btn-block btn-warning">Download</button></a>

If you want the file to be named with today's date, simply include it in the download attribute.

To achieve this dynamically, make a slight modification to your code.

create.addEventListener('click', function () {
            var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
            link.download = formatDate(new Date());
            link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
            link.style.display = 'block';
          }, false);

You can customize the formatDate function as needed:

const formatDate = (date)=>date.now();

Answer 5

Answer №3

Thank you to everyone who provided suggestions. Your input was instrumental in helping me resolve the issue.

Here's what I did:

var fileUpdated = new Date().toLocaleString();

            Date.prototype.yyyymmdd = function() {
              var yyyy = this.getFullYear();
              var mm = this.getMonth() < 9 ? "0" + (this.getMonth() + 1) : (this.getMonth() + 1); // getMonth() is zero-based
              var dd = this.getDate() < 10 ? "0" + this.getDate() : this.getDate();
              return "".concat(yyyy + "-").concat(mm + "-").concat(dd + "-");
            };

            Date.prototype.yyyymmddhhmm = function() {
              var yyyymmdd = this.yyyymmdd();
              var hh = this.getHours() < 10 ? "0" + this.getHours() : this.getHours();
              var min = this.getMinutes() < 10 ? "0" + this.getMinutes() : this.getMinutes();
              return "".concat(yyyymmdd).concat(hh + "-").concat(min + "-");
            };

            Date.prototype.yyyymmddhhmmss = function() {
              var yyyymmddhhmm = this.yyyymmddhhmm();
              var ss = this.getSeconds() < 10 ? "0" + this.getSeconds() : this.getSeconds();
              return "".concat(yyyymmddhhmm).concat(ss);
            };

            var d = new Date();

            var fileUpdated = d.yyyymmddhhmmss();

          create.addEventListener('click', function () {
            var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
            link.setAttribute('download', fileUpdated + '.txt')
            link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
            link.style.display = 'block';
          }, false);

I implemented o-o's solution as recommended due to the time format variations in different countries. It's now functioning correctly :-)

Thank you for your assistance.

Answer 6

Thank you to everyone who provided suggestions. Your input was instrumental in helping me resolve the issue.

Here's what I did:

var fileUpdated = new Date().toLocaleString();

            Date.prototype.yyyymmdd = function() {
              var yyyy = this.getFullYear();
              var mm = this.getMonth() < 9 ? "0" + (this.getMonth() + 1) : (this.getMonth() + 1); // getMonth() is zero-based
              var dd = this.getDate() < 10 ? "0" + this.getDate() : this.getDate();
              return "".concat(yyyy + "-").concat(mm + "-").concat(dd + "-");
            };

            Date.prototype.yyyymmddhhmm = function() {
              var yyyymmdd = this.yyyymmdd();
              var hh = this.getHours() < 10 ? "0" + this.getHours() : this.getHours();
              var min = this.getMinutes() < 10 ? "0" + this.getMinutes() : this.getMinutes();
              return "".concat(yyyymmdd).concat(hh + "-").concat(min + "-");
            };

            Date.prototype.yyyymmddhhmmss = function() {
              var yyyymmddhhmm = this.yyyymmddhhmm();
              var ss = this.getSeconds() < 10 ? "0" + this.getSeconds() : this.getSeconds();
              return "".concat(yyyymmddhhmm).concat(ss);
            };

            var d = new Date();

            var fileUpdated = d.yyyymmddhhmmss();

          create.addEventListener('click', function () {
            var link = document.getElementById('downloadlink');
            link.setAttribute('download', fileUpdated + '.txt')
            link.href = makeTextFile(textbox.value);
            link.style.display = 'block';
          }, false);

I implemented o-o's solution as recommended due to the time format variations in different countries. It's now functioning correctly :-)

Thank you for your assistance.

Using JavaScript, capture the current date and time and store it in a .txt file with the corresponding format

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

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