ValueError when using strptime to get a datetime object with timezone offset

Question

I'm trying to convert a date string to a datetime object:

dt = datetime.datetime.strptime('2011-07-15 13:00:00+00:00', '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')

But I'm getting this error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<input>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/_strptime.py", line 328, in _strptime
    data_string[found.end():])
ValueError: unconverted data remains: +00:00

I guess there is a problem with my format string. How to fix that?

I want to test that the date string is in UTC format or not. So, i guess, ill have to keep the +00:00..right ? — Robert, Jul 15 '11 at 13:11
You can also use time.strptime and strip the time zone format (and add it later on the datatime processing). — Cinquo, Jul 15 '11 at 13:35
@Robert I don't think **"UTC format"** means something. I think your datetime string is written in ISO 8601 with UTC offset : see **isoformat([sep])** in the doc. So, I wonder what you want to do. — eyquem, Jul 21 '11 at 18:11

score 16 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 24 '23 at 16:50

16

How about stripping the offset?

dt_string = '2011-07-15 13:00:00+00:00'
new_dt = dt_string[:19]
dt = datetime.datetime.strptime(new_dt, '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')

edited Apr 24 '23 at 16:50

mkrieger1

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answered Jul 21 '11 at 17:37

jcfollower

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Or ... new_dt = dt_string.split('+')[0] – pebox11 Feb 08 '18 at 18:13

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 24 '23 at 16:47

5

dt = datetime.datetime.strptime('2011-07-15 13:00:00+00:00', '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S%z')

edited Apr 24 '23 at 16:47

mkrieger1

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answered Jul 15 '11 at 13:08

Denis

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The "%z" format is platform dependent, it seems: [Converting string to datetime object in python](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2609259/converting-string-to-datetime-object-in-python) – Chris Gregg Jul 15 '11 at 13:21
12

Should be `%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S%z` (notice, no `+` before `%z`). – user443854 Apr 07 '15 at 13:23

score -9 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 15 '11 at 13:08

-9

>>> datetime.datetime.strptime('2011-07-15 13:00:00', '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'
datetime.datetime(2011, 7, 15, 13, 0)

answered Jul 15 '11 at 13:08

Pushpak Dagade

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Doesn't answer the question; you're converting a completely different string to a datetime by dropping the timezone. – Wooble Jul 15 '11 at 13:24

ValueError when using strptime to get a datetime object with timezone offset

3 Answers3

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