Setting current date and other dynamic values in SoapUI properties

One less known but very powerful and interesting features of SoapUI is the ability to use scripting inside property values. During property substitutions where ever they are used, in request or in side assertions, script is executed and the value is substituted. They take the general form of

${=(script)}

For example, if you want to generate a random number in a property, create a property in the TestCase, say Random and set the value to

${=(int)Math.random()*1000}
(Since Math.random gives a random value between 0 and 1, the value of this expression is going to be a random number between 1 and 1000)

In the request, if you specify

${#TestCase#Random}
It is going to be a random number between 1 and 1000.

Taking a more complex (and probably useful) example, following is going to generate the current date in form of DD-MM-YY.

${=Calendar.instance.get(Calendar.DATE)+"-"+(int)(Calendar.instance.get(Calendar.MONTH)+1)+"-"+Calendar.instance.get(Calendar.YEAR)}

Note that months are starting from 0, so you have to add one to the month.

Or, if the date time string is desirable,

${=Calendar.instance.getTime()}