working of DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance().format(date)

Question

I am confused about the working of DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance().format(date) In my code I am doing this:

BroadcastReceiver myReciever = new BroadcastReceiver(){
 String currentDateTimeString;
 @Override
 public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent){
    currentDateTimeString = DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance().format(date);
    switch(prevRAT)       //somevariable
    {
        case 0:
          det1.setText(currentDateTimeString);    //det is an EditText variable
          break;
        case 1:
          det2.setText(currentDateTimeString;
          break;
        default:
          break;
    }
  }
};

The next time the control enters into the onReceive function the currentDateTimeString is not updated and it shows the same value of date and time. I cant understand this behavior. How to get the current time.

Answer 1

BroadcastReceiver myReciever = new BroadcastReceiver(){
 String currentDateTimeString;
 @Override
 public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent){
    currentDateTimeString = DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance().format(new Date());
    switch(prevRAT)       //somevariable
    {
        case 0:
          det1.setText(currentDateTimeString);    //det is an EditText variable
          break;
        case 1:
          det2.setText(currentDateTimeString;
          break;
        default:
          break;
    }
  }
};

Answer 2

Use SimpleDateFormat as your date formatter and to get Date and Time create a Calendar instance and retrieve current time and date using that instance.

BroadcastReceiver myReciever = new BroadcastReceiver(){

 Calendar calendar;
 String currentDateTimeString;
 SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"); //date & time format as you want to see

 @Override
 public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent){

    calendar = Calendar.getInstance();
    currentDateTimeString = df.format(calendar.getTime());

    switch(prevRAT)    
    {
        case 0:
          det1.setText(currentDateTimeString);
          break;
        case 1:
          det2.setText(currentDateTimeString;
          break;
        default:
          break;
    }
  }
};