convert US dates to UK

Question

In python is there a better way to convert from a US date format to a UK date format?

I am using the below:

df = ['01/31/2014', '02/06/2013']

for a in df:
    s = list(a)
    d = [s[3],s[4],s[2],s[0],s[1],s[5],s[6],s[7],s[8],s[9]]
    f.append("".join(d))

print (f)

['31/01/2014', '06/02/2013']

Define *better*. More readable, more efficient, more reliable? — Peter Wood, Feb 16 '16 at 13:00

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited Jul 31 '23 at 21:20

5

Use this instead,

datetime.datetime.strptime(your_date, '%m/%d/%Y').strftime('%d/%m/%Y')

edited Jul 31 '23 at 21:20

Ammar Aslam

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answered Feb 16 '16 at 12:48

Dharmik

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Sorry, I have edited it now. – Dharmik Feb 16 '16 at 12:50
2

This does not work with a four digit year as in the example of the OP. You have to use a capital Y like '%m/%d/%Y' – Johannes Maria Frank Aug 12 '19 at 16:25

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 16 '16 at 12:50

2

Here is a one liner:

from datetime import datetime

df = ['01/31/2014', '02/06/2013']    
f = [datetime.strptime(d, "%m/%d/%Y").strftime("%d/%m/%Y") for d in df]
print(f)

prints

['31/01/2014', '06/02/2013']

answered Feb 16 '16 at 12:50

Selcuk

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great thanks. exceptionaly useful – beng986 Feb 16 '16 at 13:23

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 16 '16 at 12:48

Turn it into a date with datetime.datetime.strptime, then use date.strftime to turn it back into a string.

Always attempt to work with dates as dates, not as strings. Ideally turning them into dates as early as you can and not going back to strings until you absolutely have to.

convert US dates to UK

3 Answers3