str2date accepts a string argument and returns a datetime object. If the string is not a proper ISO 8601 Calendar Date with an optional time then str2date returns None.

Some points to note:

• The delimiter between the date portion and time portion can be either T per the standard or a space character.

• The input format can be either extended as in '1998-07-06T05:04:03-02:00' or basic as in '19980706T050403-0200'.

• In absence of a timezone UTC is assumed - str2date won't ever return a naive date.

• In line with the standard, time can be represented partially as hh, hh:mm, or as a full hh:mm:ss, in all cases followed by an optional fraction that will be properly computed.

• Time fraction separator can be either a period (.) or a comma (,). No limit to the number of fraction digits, although the result will be rounded to the nearest microsecond.

• The use of +00 for timezone (i.e., only the hourly part with no minutes designation) is ommitted in accordance with IETF's guidance to avoid rarely used options (e.g., RFC 3339 s. 5.3).

• The timezone -00:00/-0000 is interpreted in the same way as +00:00/+0000, i.e., as UTC.

Examples:

>>> from str2date import str2date
>>> print( str2date( '1998-07-06T05:04:03-02:00' ))
1998-07-06 05:04:03-02:00
>>> print( str2date( '19980706T050403-0200' ))
1998-07-06 05:04:03-02:00
>>> print( str2date( '1998-07-06T05:04:03.555-02:00' ))
1998-07-06 05:04:03.555000-02:00
>>> print( str2date( '1998-07-06 05:04:03,555-02:00' ))
1998-07-06 05:04:03.555000-02:00
>>> print( str2date( '1998' ))
1998-01-01 00:00:00+00:00

Install with pip install str2date or copy str2date.py to your project.

MIT License.

Rev. 0.905:

• Add basic format
• Add tests
• Fix bug, documentation