Here you can find the source of now()
public static int now()
//package com.java2s; //License from project: Open Source License import java.text.SimpleDateFormat; import java.util.Date; public class Main { private static final SimpleDateFormat defaultFormater = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMdd"); private static final SimpleDateFormat customizedFormater = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMdd"); public static int now() { return Integer.parseInt(new SimpleDateFormat("HHmmss").format(new Date())); }/* ww w . j a va 2s. c om*/ public static String format(Date date, String pattern) { synchronized (customizedFormater) { if (null != pattern && !"".equals(pattern.trim())) { customizedFormater.applyPattern(pattern); } else { throw new IllegalArgumentException("pattern can not be empty"); } return customizedFormater.format(date); } } public static String format(Date date) { synchronized (defaultFormater) { return defaultFormater.format(date); } } }