datetime question

[Ferrous Cranus]

Στις 12/11/2013 4:03 μμ, ο/η Joel Goldstick έγραψε:
> On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 8:32 AM, Ferrous Cranus <nikos.gr33k at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Στις 12/11/2013 2:47 μμ, ο/η Andy Lawton έγραψε:
>>>
>>> Firstly , I should clarify I have no idea how to program python, I
>>> joined this mailing list in anticipation of learning soon. And
>>> thought I'd have a go playing around with your code and code given to
>>> you (worst possible place to start, I'm sure)
>>>
>>> But from the answers already given to you, this seems to work and as you
>>> requested, in reality, this keeps your code to 1 line...
>>>
>>> I'm sure this is wrong, and isn't what you want, but hey, Correct
>>> working code doesn't seem to matter to you anyway...
>>>
>>> (I think "Europe/Kiev" is Greece but I don't know)
>>>
>>> from datetime import datetime, time, timedelta
>>> import time
>>> import pytz
>>>
>>> def is_dst(zonename):
>>>       tz = pytz.timezone(zonename)
>>>       now = pytz.utc.localize(datetime.utcnow())
>>>       return now.astimezone(tz).dst() != timedelta(0)
>>>
>>> def dst_greece():
>>>       if is_dst("Europe/Kiev") :
>>>           diff = 2
>>>       else:
>>>           diff = 3
>>>       return diff
>>>
>>> lastvisit = (datetime.utcnow() +timedelta(hours=dst_greece())).strftime(
>>> '%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12 November 2013 10:15, Ferrous Cranus <nikos.gr33k at gmail.com
>>> <mailto:nikos.gr33k at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>      Στις 8/11/2013 11:11 μμ, ο/η Νίκος Αλεξόπουλος έγραψε:
>>>
>>>          Is there someway to write the following line even better with the
>>>
>>>          ability to detect daylight saving time by itself so i don't have
>>> to
>>>          alter the line manually when time changes?
>>>
>>>          lastvisit = ( datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(hours=2) ).strftime(
>>>          '%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )        # MySQL datetime format
>>>
>>>          Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>      Example:
>>>
>>>      #check if date entered as intented, format it properly for MySQL
>>>      lastvisit = datetime.strptime(lastvisit, '%d %m
>>>      %Y').strftime('%Y-%m-%d')
>>>
>>>      The above code gets the datetime string in a specific way and then
>>>      convert it to another format. All happens in one line clear and
>>> simple.
>>>
>>>      Now, in the following statement there shopuld be some way to check
>>>      for daylight saving time so i would aboiut add +2 in winter or +3
>>>      for greek summer time.
>>>
>>>
>>>      lastvisit = ( datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(hours=2) ).strftime(
>>>      '%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )          # MySQL datetime format
>>>
>>>      I think + timedelta(hours=2) should be substituted with something
>>>      else but i don't with what.
>>>      --
>>>      https://mail.python.org/__mailman/listinfo/python-list
>>>      <https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> this requires a function to be declared while i just want just an argument
>> inside timedelta( ) that will automatically detect DST or not.
>>
>> No function declaration but instead something like:
>> lastvisit = ( datetime.utcnow() + timedelta( some_arg_here_that_can detect
>> greece's_DST_or_not) ).strftime)     '%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )    # MySQL
>> datetime format
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
>
> I think that is a great solution.  What would happen if you just did this:
> lastvisit2 = (datetime.now()).strftime('%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )
>
> Why don't you try it out and see what you find?
>
> (PS, this was pointed out to me by a pro, so I did a little reading in
> the python docs and took Andy's excellent code and added a couple of
> lines to test.)
>
> I switched to my local timezone "US/Eastern" to test. My machine is
> running Ubuntu.  It seems to know that it is in the Eastern US.  If
> your server knows where it lives, then this should work for you also.
> If it is set to a different timezone, I'm not sure I could help you,
> but I'm sure someone could.  You even might ask your host if this is
> possible.
>
> ----------------------
> #! /usr/bin/env python
>
> from datetime import datetime, time, timedelta
> import time
> import pytz
>
> def is_dst(zonename):
>       tz = pytz.timezone(zonename)
>       now = pytz.utc.localize(datetime.utcnow())
>       return now.astimezone(tz).dst() != timedelta(0)
>
> def dst_greece():
>       #if is_dst("Europe/Kiev") :
>       if is_dst("US/Eastern") :
>           diff = -6
>       else:
>           diff = -5
>       return diff
>
> lastvisit = (datetime.utcnow()
> +timedelta(hours=dst_greece())).strftime('%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )
>
> lastvisit2 = (datetime.now()).strftime('%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )
>
> print lastvisit
> print lastvisit2
>
> ----------------------
>
>


Joel i must thank you for your help.

I cannot believe it was so simple.

lastvisit = ( datetime.now() ).strftime('%y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')			# MySQL 
datetime format


Tnhe server is self aware of its location so why use utcnow() + 
timedelte( some_digit_here ) when you can just use just now()

Great solution, no need for function declaration and importing of new 
pytz modules.

Simple and straightforward, Thank you!