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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' stands for <big>'''D'''</big>ate <big>'''T'''</big>able <big>'''S'''</big>orting and is used to correctly sort and display dates in a sortable table (see [[Help:Sorting]]).

==What it solves==
Normally, for proper sorting, dates must be entered in YYYY-MM-DD format. However, that format does not conform to the [[MOS:DATE|Manual of Style]] for date display. This template automatically creates the hidden <code><nowiki><span&nbsp;style="display:none">1776-07-04</span></nowiki></code> for sorting purposes and then displays the date like this: '''July 4, 1776'''. To hide the output, use the {{tl|dtsh}} template instead.

==Calendar choice==
The template is not capable of distinguishing Julian and Gregorian calendar dates. Also, it is not capable of taking a date in one calendar as input and outputting a date in the other calendar. Thus, to insure proper sorting, editors must either use one calendar for all dates, or pick a specific changeover date (for example, deciding that 4 October 1582 is Julian and all later dates are Gregorian); this would be done on an article-by article basis. Editors are also responsible for explaining to the reader whether the visible dates are Julian or Gregorian, if there is any possibility of confusion.

==Parameters==
{{notice|1=Date display can be modified using two named parameters. 
*To use international date formats, use the <code>format=dmy</code> parameter. 
*To turn off the suppression of word wraps, use the <code>nowrap=off</code> parameter.
}}

{|class=wikitable
|-
|+The year, month and day can either be entered separately or as a single date.
|-
!width=50%|{{tlf|dts|''year''|''month''|''day''|''BC''}}
!width=50%|{{tlf|dts|''date''}}
|-valign=top
|
*1st parameter – Year (optional if month is given)
**Year number – number in the range -9999 through 9999: the numbers -9999 through 0 are used without "bc" and represent astronomical years -9999 through 0, the numbers 1 through 9999 represent that year AD, or BC with the fourth parameter set to bc or BC
*2nd parameter – Month (optional if the day is not given either)
**Full month name – February or february
**Abbreviated month name – Feb or feb
**Month number – 2 or 02
*3rd parameter – Day (optional)
**Day number – 7 or 07
*4th parameter – optional with value BC or bc
**Used with a positive year number

Thus e.g. for the year 5 BC we can use "5|bc" or "-4".

A time period (year or month and year) is sorted according to its start, and time periods with the same starting moment are in order of descending length: a year comes before its first month; a month comes before its first day.
|
*1st parameter – the full date in international, US or YYYY-MM-DD format
**It uses {{[[mw:Help:Extension:ParserFunctions#.23time:|#time:]]}} and so is limited to what the parser function can handle (e.g. it won't go beyond 100 AD).
**International format is left as it is.  YYYY-MM-DD format defaults to US format.
**Abbreviated months are accepted.
**Capitalisation and comma mistakes are corrected.
|}

===Input===
{{tlf|dts|''year''|''month''|''day''|''BC''}}
*{{<code>dts|1776|July|4</code>}}
{{tlf|dts|''date''}}
*{{<code>dts|1776-07-04</code>}}
*{{<code>dts|July 4, 1776</code>}}
*{{<code>dts|4 July 1776</code>}}

When supplying a single parameter for the date, it is accepted and interpreted according to the  [http://www.php.net/manual/en/datetime.formats.php php date/time format], except that a single number is interpreted as a year. By default the date is shown as supplied. If the first parameter is not just the year, but no format parameter is supplied, due to a call of function <code>#time</code> the maximum number of calls of this template on a page is 1200.

Using <code>format</code> produces a format that depends on, but is not necessarily equal to the format of the supplied date. This requires multiple calls of function <code>#time</code>, reducing the maximum number of calls of this template on a page in the worst case to 88, see below.

Also see the [[#Examples|examples]] below.

===Output===
Output sent to table
*<code><nowiki><span style="display:none">01776-07-04</span> July 4, 1776</nowiki></code> or
*<code><nowiki><span style="display:none">01776-07-04</span> 4 July 1776</nowiki></code>

Output displayed to user<br>
*July 4, 1776 or
*4 July 1776

===Linking===
The template formerly linked dates automatically. To turn linking off the parameter <code>link=off</code> was used. In accordance with current guidelines linking is no longer supported. Please do not use this parameter. Please remove it from existing transclusions.

==Examples==
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Normal function of the template.
!The template with <code>debug=yes</code>, which causes hidden parts to appear:
|-valign=top
|
{{dts/examples}}
|
{{dts/examples|debug=yes}}
|}

==Abbreviating the month name==
The template displays the name of the month either in abbreviated form or fully spelt out.  There are two ways of controlling which is used.
#Directly input the desired format.
#Use the <code>abbr</code> parameter.
Note that the method to use is determined by the input.  The first method works wherever the second method fails and only in these cases.  The following explains which method to use.

;All numeric input
If the month is input as a number, the default is to spell it out in full.  
*{{<code>dts|2000-01-01</code>}} gives "{{dts|2000-01-01}}"
*{{<code>dts|2000|1|1</code>}} gives "{{dts|2000|1|1}}"
In this case the month can be abbreviated by setting <code>abbr</code> to <code>on<code>.
*{{<code>dts|2000-01-01|abbr=on</code>}} gives "{{dts|2000-01-01|abbr=on}}"
*{{<code>dts|2000|1|1|abbr=on</code>}} gives "{{dts|2000|1|1|abbr=on}}"

;Entering a non-numeric month as the second unnamed parameter
The name of the month either in abbreviated form or fully spelt out when input as the second unnamed parameter.  In either case the output form is equivalent to the input form.
*{{<code>dts|2000|January|1</code>}} gives "{{dts|2000|January|1}}"
*{{<code>dts|2000|Jan|1</code>}} gives "{{dts|2000|Jan|1}}"

;The whole date as a single parameter with a non-numeric month
The if the whole date is entered as a single parameter with a non-numeric month, the default is to display the date as input.  In this case either abbreviate or fully spelt out he name of the month as desired.
*{{<code>dts|1 January 2000</code>}} gives "{{dts|1 January 2000}}"
*{{<code>dts|1 Jan 2000</code>}} gives "{{dts|1 Jan 2000}}"
Using the <code>format</code> parameter overrides this default behaviour and the month name is spelt out in full by default. In this case the month can be abbreviated by setting <code>abbr</code> to <code>on<code>.
*{{<code>dts|1 January 2000</code>|format=my}} gives "{{dts|1 January 2000|format=my}}"
*{{<code>dts|1 Jan 2000|format=my</code>}} gives "{{dts|1 Jan 2000|format=my}}"
*{{<code>dts|1 January 2000</code>|format=my|abbr=on}} gives "{{dts|1 January 2000|format=my|abbr=on}}"
*{{<code>dts|1 Jan 2000|format=my|abbr=on</code>}} gives "{{dts|1 Jan 2000|format=my|abbr=on}}"

==Error handling==
Entering an invalid date format will (generally)<!--It's not quite perfect.--> produce an error message such as the one below.
<blockquote>{{dts|35 June 1900}}</blockquote>

==See also==
* {{tl|dtsh}}, hides the template's output
* {{tl|TBA}}, allows quarters, and allows sorting of time periods by end date.
* {{tim|dts}}, since on Meta e.g. 09999 9999 induces numeric sort mode, "&" is prefixed to force string sort mode.
* {{tl|dts1}}
* {{tl|dts vgr}}, for video game release dates.
* {{tl|sort}}, sorting by a specified key (also good for complicated numbers, e.g. scientific notation)
* {{tl|sortname}}, full name sorting (using "last name, first name" as default sort key)
* {{tl|tts}}, for sorting times in result tables of athletic events (only needed in certain cases - see template documentation)
* {{tl|mss}}, for sorting times in tables of eclipses

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[[Category:Sorting templates|Dts]]
[[Category:Date mathematics templates|{{PAGENAME}}]]
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