Python datetime format like C# String.Format -

i'm trying port application c# python. application allows user choose datetime format using c# string.format datetime formatting. python's datetime formatting not close same, i'm having jump code through few hoops.

is there way python can parse strings yyyy-mm-dd hh-mm-ss instead of %y-%m-%d %h-%m-%s?

you can fair distance using simple replacement convert format strings.

_format_changes = (     ('mmmm', '%b'),     ('mmm',  '%b'), # note: order in list critical     ('mm',   '%m'),     ('m',    '%m'), # note: no exact equivalent     # etc etc     )  def conv_format(s):     c, p in _format_changes:         # s.replace(c, p) #### typo/braino         s = s.replace(c, p)     return s 

i presume "hoops" means similar. note there complications:
(1) c# format can have literal text enclosed in single quotes (examples in link quoted)
(2) allows single character made literal escaping (e.g.) \
(3) 12- or 24-hour clock stuff may need work (i haven't delved c# spec; comment based similar exercise i've been involved in).
can end writing compiler , byte-code interpreter around gotchas (like m, f, ff, fff, ...).

an alternative @ using ctypes or similar call c# rtl directly.

update original code overly simplistic , had typo/braino. following new code shows how address of issues (like literal text, , ensuring literal % in input doesn't make strftime unhappy). doesn't attempt give accurate answers there's no direct conversion (m, f, etc). places exception raised noted code operates on laissez-faire basis.

_format_changes = (     ('yyyy', '%y'), ('yyy', '%y'), ('yy', '%y'),('y', '%y'),     ('mmmm', '%b'), ('mmm', '%b'), ('mm', '%m'),('m', '%m'),     ('dddd', '%a'), ('ddd', '%a'), ('dd', '%d'),('d', '%d'),     ('hh', '%h'), ('h', '%h'), ('hh', '%i'), ('h', '%i'),     ('mm', '%m'), ('m', '%m'),     ('ss', '%s'), ('s', '%s'),     ('tt', '%p'), ('t', '%p'),     ('zzz', '%z'), ('zz', '%z'), ('z', '%z'),     )  def cnv_csharp_date_fmt(in_fmt):     ofmt = ""     fmt = in_fmt     while fmt:         if fmt[0] == "'":             # literal text enclosed in ''             apos = fmt.find("'", 1)             if apos == -1:                 # input format broken.                 apos = len(fmt)             ofmt += fmt[1:apos].replace("%", "%%")             fmt = fmt[apos+1:]         elif fmt[0] == "\\":             # 1 escaped literal character.             # note graceful behaviour when \ last character.             ofmt += fmt[1:2].replace("%", "%%")             fmt = fmt[2:]         else:             # loop done regex "(yyyy)|(yyy)|etc".             intok, outtok in _format_changes:                 if fmt.startswith(intok):                     ofmt += outtok                     fmt = fmt[len(intok):]                     break             else:                 # hmmmm, c# here?                 # *you* want here?                 # i'll emit 1 character literal text                 # , carry on. alternative: raise exception.                 ofmt += fmt[0].replace("%", "%%")                 fmt = fmt[1:]     return ofmt 

tested following extent:

>>> cnv_csharp_date_fmt import cnv_csharp_date_fmt cv >>> cv("yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss") '%y-%m-%d %i:%m:%s' >>> cv("3pcts %%% yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss") '3pc%p%s %%%%%% %y-%m-%d %i:%m:%s' >>> cv("'3pcts' %%% yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss") '3pcts %%%%%% %y-%m-%d %i:%m:%s' >>> cv(r"3pc\t\s %%% yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss") '3pcts %%%%%% %y-%m-%d %i:%m:%s' >>>