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# components(_:from:)

Returns the date components representing a given date.

```
func components(_ unitFlags: NSCalendar.Unit, from date: Date) -> DateComponents
```

## Parameters

`unitFlags`

The components into which to decompose `date`.

`date`

The date for which to perform the calculation.

## Return Value

An `NSDateComponents` object containing `date` decomposed into the components specified by `unitFlags`. Returns `nil` if `date` falls outside of the defined range of the receiver or if the computation cannot be performed.

## Discussion

The Weekday ordinality, when requested, refers to the next larger (than Week) of the requested units. Some computations can take a relatively long time.

The following example shows how to use this method to determine the current year, month, and day, using an existing calendar (`gregorian`):

```objc
unsigned unitFlags = NSYearCalendarUnit | NSMonthCalendarUnit |  NSDayCalendarUnit;
NSDate *date = [NSDate date];
NSDateComponents *comps = [gregorian components:unitFlags fromDate:date];
```

## See Also

[`-  dateFromComponents:`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCalendar/date(from:))

Returns a date representing the absolute time calculated from given components.

[`-  dateByAddingComponents:toDate:options:`](/documentation/Foundation/NSCalendar/date(byAdding:to:options:))

Returns a date representing the absolute time calculated by adding given components to a given date.


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