[issue6478] time.tzset does not reset _strptime's locale time cache

[Mihai Ibanescu]

New submission from Mihai Ibanescu <mihai.ibanescu at gmail.com>:

If one changes from one timezone to another within the same python
process, and if one tries to parse a time string that includes the
timezone, the library malfunctions.

See attached script for a reproducer.

The problem is that, even though time.tzset() is called, the LocaleTime
persisted in the TimeRE global is not reset. In my example, the EDT
timezone name, compiled from the previous TZ variable, is not valid
anymore in the 'Pacific/Fiji' timezone.

To witness the behavior, run the attached script with no arguments. It
will parse the time in the America/New_York timezone just fine.

Then run it with an argument (like python ttime.py 1). It will first
prime the _strptime cache in the Pacific/Fiji timezone, then attempt to
parse the same time string in the America/New_York timezone.

Finally, you can change the "if 0" to "if 1" for working around the problem.

This has been verified in 2.4.4 and 2.6.1 (did not have a chance to
verify it against python 2.6.2 yet).

----------
components: Library (Lib)
files: ttime.py
messages: 90497
nosy: mibanescu
severity: normal
status: open
title: time.tzset does not reset _strptime's locale time cache
type: behavior
versions: Python 2.4, Python 2.6
Added file: http://bugs.python.org/file14496/ttime.py

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Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue6478>
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