python - Force locale for one function to be UK/English in just one function so that datetime.strftime always returns an English format -

i need write simple python function accepts date in excel format (an integer of days elapsed since 1st jan 1900). convert python datetime.date object, , i'd format shortened string date (e.g. "jan10" or "mar11") - date in mmmyy format.

dt.strftime( fmt ) 

this function works fine on uk & workstations, i've noticed on colleagues pcs set french locale wrong anser:

>>> locale.getdefaultlocale() ('fr_fr', 'cp1252') 

on these machines function above returns formatted date-string in french not desired output.

i understand use locale.setlocale function globally re-define locale, not desirable. elsewhere in system there scripts require native-language locale. not wish break else's component re-defining global locale.

so can do? short of re-writing string-formatting function, there way can make strftime function produce it's output in uk/us locale without affecting else?

platform = python2.4.4 on windows 32bit

fyi, solution not apply - changes locale globally want avoid doing: locale date formatting in python

if need fixed strings it's best create mapping of month number month name , use that.

months = {1: 'jan', 2: 'feb', ...}  printf '%s%02d' % (months[somedt.month], somedt.year % 100)