Changing Date format

[Kurt3162]

I want to change how the date is displayed, but the "Language Settings"/"Time Format" app doesn't work as expected, and there is no "custom" setting.
I'd like to have the dates shown as %d/%m/%y throughout the system, but only the calendar applet has a "custom" setting. How can I change the rest?

Did I miss something?

[RollyShed]

I'd like to have the dates shown as %d/%m/%y throughout the system, but only the calendar applet has a "custom" setting. How can I change the rest?

If what you want is what I do, right click on the date, bottom right.

Left click on Configure.

Switch "Use a custom date format" to ON

Below that, the date format. I cut and paste the %B to be after the %A,

If you want seconds, add :%S after %H:%M

[Kurt3162]

If what you want is what I do, right click on the date, bottom right.

You mean the calendar applet? Yes, I did configure that one, but I'd like the whole system to be like that (for instance, when I type date in a terminal).
Right now Mint insists on giving me everywhere the full weekday and spell the month out. I know the name of the months, thank you very much, I just want to see three double digits: dd/mm/yy...

And I know it's the date format's fault since I tried a different locale for the time/date setting, and as a result my dates are in a different language than the rest... Which I wouldn't mind if they weren't that verbose.

[zcot]

that might give some satisfaction: https://askubuntu.com/a/1064855
the given example is:

Code: Select all

# grep date_fmt /usr/share/i18n/locales/en_US
date_fmt "%F %Z"
# env LC_TIME=en_US.UTF-8 date
2018-08-13 JST
# date
Mon Aug 13 15:25:14 JST 2018
# sed -i 's/date_fmt.*/date_fmt "%Y"/' /usr/share/i18n/locales/en_US
# locale-gen en_US.UTF-8
Generating locales (this might take a while)...
  en_US.UTF-8... done
Generation complete.
# env LC_TIME=en_US.UTF-8 date
2018

[Kurt3162]

that might give some satisfaction: https://askubuntu.com/a/1064855

Thanks, I'll try that out this weekend. I hesitate to edit system files, I'm no Linux whizz, just an average user, and I definitely don't need a broken system right now...


That been said, looking in /usr/share/i18n/locales I see 362 different locale definitions, yet Mint Cinnamon's "Date&Time" applet only offers me a handful to chose from. How do I tell it to be less stingy? I could make my very own locale (copying and editing the nearest original one) and use that...

[zcot]

What Mint version are you using? -so we can positively confirm the exact setup/end-result.

We can come up with a painless, safe, easy way for you to do it.

[Kurt3162]

What Mint version are you using?

Mint 21 Cinnamon.

[motoryzen]

I hesitate to edit system files, I'm no Linux whizz, just an average user, and I definitely don't need a broken system right now...

Your caution is a good thing, but don't be afraid to tinker IF you are comfy making consistent backups. Do Timeshift snapshot backup to a separately targeted physical drive.

** optional but encouraged** = Foxclone system image backup/clone to a drive that is big enough/same physical size

Timeshift has saved my bacon more times than I could count and ensure I do regular time shift backups at least once a month and a foxclone system image clone at least once every 90 to 120 ish days.

Once you have that down, your fear of trying something near will be justifiably diminished.

The dev for Foxclone ( AndyMH ) is an active forum member here and is often fairly fast to respond and is quite helpful.

[Kurt3162]

making consistent backups.

I do (even more so since I don't trust those newfangled SSDs (get off my lawn already!...) )
What I lack is the time to fix stuff which was unnecessarily broken. In a month or two I'll maybe have more time to tinker, but for now it just has to work.