code: public void applyLocalizedPattern(String pattern) {
           String p = translatePattern(pattern,
                                       formatData.getLocalPatternChars(),
                                       DateFormatSymbols.patternChars);
           compiledPattern = compile(p);
           this.pattern = p;
      }
docs: Applies the given localized pattern string to this date format.
  
  @param pattern a String to be mapped to the new date and time format
  pattern for this format
  @exception NullPointerException if the given pattern is null
  @exception IllegalArgumentException if the given pattern is invalid