[Bug 2137410] [NEW] "date +%x" output is wrong

[Nick Tait]

Public bug reported:

The "%x" format specifier for the date command is documented as the
"locale's date", and running "date +%x" on Debian Trixie gives the
expected result:

$ date +%x
04/01/26

But I just discovered that Ubuntu Questing gives different output:

$ date +%x
2026 M01 4

So two things:

a) Can you please fix the date command to output the locale-specific date string for "%x"?
b) Can you please update the manual page for 'date' to include ALL the format specifiers, which are missing from the manual page currently?

-----

$ lsb_release -rd
Description:	Ubuntu 25.10
Release:	25.10

$ apt-cache policy rust-coreutils
rust-coreutils:
  Installed: 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
  Candidate: 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
  Version table:
 *** 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1 500
        500 http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     0.2.2-0ubuntu2 500
        500 http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing/main amd64 Packages

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.10
Package: rust-coreutils 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.17.0-8.8-generic 6.17.2
Uname: Linux 6.17.0-8-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.33.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CloudArchitecture: x86_64
CloudID: none
CloudName: none
CloudPlatform: none
CloudSubPlatform: config
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sun Jan  4 20:47:59 2026
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-07-24 (1625 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 21.04 "Hirsute Hippo" - Release amd64 (20210421)
SourcePackage: rust-coreutils
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to questing on 2025-11-08 (56 days ago)

** Affects: rust-coreutils (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug questing wayland-session

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2137410

Title:
  "date +%x" output is wrong

Status in rust-coreutils package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  The "%x" format specifier for the date command is documented as the
  "locale's date", and running "date +%x" on Debian Trixie gives the
  expected result:

  $ date +%x
  04/01/26

  But I just discovered that Ubuntu Questing gives different output:

  $ date +%x
  2026 M01 4

  So two things:

  a) Can you please fix the date command to output the locale-specific date string for "%x"?
  b) Can you please update the manual page for 'date' to include ALL the format specifiers, which are missing from the manual page currently?

  -----

  $ lsb_release -rd
  Description:	Ubuntu 25.10
  Release:	25.10

  $ apt-cache policy rust-coreutils
  rust-coreutils:
    Installed: 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
    Candidate: 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
    Version table:
   *** 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1 500
          500 http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-updates/main amd64 Packages
          500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing-security/main amd64 Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
       0.2.2-0ubuntu2 500
          500 http://nz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu questing/main amd64 Packages

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 25.10
  Package: rust-coreutils 0.2.2-0ubuntu2.1
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.17.0-8.8-generic 6.17.2
  Uname: Linux 6.17.0-8-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.33.1-0ubuntu3
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
  CloudArchitecture: x86_64
  CloudID: none
  CloudName: none
  CloudPlatform: none
  CloudSubPlatform: config
  CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
  Date: Sun Jan  4 20:47:59 2026
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-07-24 (1625 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 21.04 "Hirsute Hippo" - Release amd64 (20210421)
  SourcePackage: rust-coreutils
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to questing on 2025-11-08 (56 days ago)

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