String.to_datetime does not use the current timezone (when none given)

Question

I noticed that Rails' String.to_timezone method does not use the current time zone, when no time zone is given in the string.

$ "2013-01-14 14:38".to_datetime
=> Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:38:00 +0000
$ DateTime.now
=> Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:39:50 +0100

Is there a way to tell the method to use the current time zone?

Thanks.

That's better, but it doesn't solve my requirement "when no time zone is given". — Joshua Muheim, Jan 14 '13 at 14:58
I think you misunderstand me. If I supply `"2013-01-14 14:38"`, then it should be parsed using the current time zone. If I supply `2013-01-14 14:38 +0100`, then it should take the supplied time zone (`+0100`). — Joshua Muheim, Jan 14 '13 at 15:06

score 11 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 20 '14 at 01:15

11

Try this:

Time.zone.parse('2013-01-14 14:38').to_datetime

This will use the current timezone to parse the string to date.

answered Jun 20 '14 at 01:15

Andrew Feng

Yes, This works! If you test in `rails console`, at first set the `timezone` in console: `Time.zone = "Dhaka"` – mahfuz Dec 01 '20 at 10:15

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 14 '13 at 13:56

6

There's #in_time_zone method on the DateTime object you can use:

"2013-01-14 14:38".to_datetime.in_time_zone
"2013-01-14 14:38".to_datetime.in_time_zone("Prague")

answered Jan 14 '13 at 13:56

Jiří Pospíšil

3

This doesn't solve the problem. `"2013-01-14 16:06".to_datetime.in_time_zone` results in `Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:06:00 CET +01:00`, expected result: Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:06:00 CET +01:00` (16:06 o'clock, not 17:06 o'clock). – Joshua Muheim Jan 14 '13 at 14:54
Note that the time you are converting from is not the zone being provided - it's a conversion from the default timezone to the timezone being provided. In this case it's from UTC. – Archonic Mar 05 '20 at 15:13

score 4 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 07 '17 at 19:45

4

Use in_time_zone:

"2013-01-14 16:06".in_time_zone
=> Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:06:00 CET +01:00

edited Mar 07 '17 at 19:45

Rick Smith

answered Mar 07 '17 at 09:16

volix

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 29 '19 at 14:34

0

"2013-01-14 16:06".in_time_zone

Or

"2013-01-14 16:06".in_time_zone

No other answers.

answered Jan 29 '19 at 14:34

alexey_the_cat

4 Answers4