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Python Dates and Times in Python (2014) Dates and Times strftime & strptime

what do i do

cant figure this out

timestrings.py
## Examples
# to_string(datetime_object) => "24 September 2012"
# from_string("09/24/12 18:30", "%m/%d/%y %H:%M") => datetime
import datetime
def to_string(datetime):
    datetime = datetime.strftime('%d %B %Y')
    return datetime
date_one = datetime.datetime.strptime('25 september 2012', "%d %B %Y")
print(to_string(date_one))

def from_string(datetime1, datetime2):
    return datetime.datetime.strptime(datetime1, "%m/%d/%y" )

1 Answer

Asher Orr
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Asher Orr
Python Development Techdegree Graduate 9,408 Points

Hi Tryston!

You should check out the Python documentation for strptime and strftime: https://docs.python.org/3/library/datetime.html?highlight=datetime#strftime-and-strptime-behavior

strptime returns a datetime object (from a string)

strftime returns a string, formatted to look like a datetime object.

In task two, you are converting a string into a datetime object.

First: your function arguments are not labeled correctly. The task says "Create a new function named from_string that takes two arguments: a date as a string and an strftime-compatible format string."

Your arguments are currently this:

def from_string(datetime1, datetime2):

When they should look like this:

def from_string(date_as_string, compatible_format_string):

Now, look at this bit of instructions: "Create a new function named from_string that takes two arguments: a date as a string and an strftime-compatible format string, and returns a datetime created from them."

Since you need a datetime object, and your arguments are strings, you'll be using strptime (string parsed into time.)

Just like you used the strftime method on task 1, you need to use the strptime method on task 2.

In this video, Kenneth details how to use strptime: https://teamtreehouse.com/library/dates-and-times-in-python/dating-methods

I suggest re-watching that, and then try to re-write your function.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions!