Invalid format string in Python

Question

I get the invalid format string error when I try to run the below code (last line), not sure where I am missing the point:

  import datetime
  DAYS = 2
  SINCE = datetime.datetime.now() - datetime.timedelta(days=DAYS)
  params = "?fields=feed.since(" + SINCE.strftime("%s") + ").limit(1),name,updated_time&amp;"

Any suggestions would be much appreciated !!

My python version is 3.6.1 and Anaconda version is 4.4.0 (64 bit) — user3447653
– user3447653, Commented Aug 17, 2017 at 15:35
@Thomas it doesn't work for me in Python 2. It requires "s" to be capitalised in order to get units of seconds. Otherwise it throws ValueError: Invalid format string — roganjosh
– roganjosh, Commented Aug 17, 2017 at 15:37
@roganjosh Interesting. I guess Python (on Linux) just passes it on to strftime from libc, which does have %s. But maybe on other platforms it's emulated without %s support. — Thomas
– Thomas, Commented Aug 17, 2017 at 15:41

Thomas · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-17 15:40:09Z

3

You have to use "%S" because "%s" is not defined in the method you called : https://docs.python.org/2/library/datetime.html#datetime.strftime

import datetime
DAYS = 2
SINCE = datetime.datetime.now() - datetime.timedelta(days=DAYS)
params = "?fields=feed.since(" + SINCE.strftime("%S") + ").limit(1),name,updated_time&amp;"

You should add what format you need for your application.

edited Aug 17, 2017 at 15:40

Thomas

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answered Aug 17, 2017 at 15:37

iFlo

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Comments

zipa · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-17 15:40:22Z

0

It really depends on which format suits you, but if you need timestamp use:

int(time.mktime(SINCE.timetuple()))

answered Aug 17, 2017 at 15:40

zipa

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Comments

nkipreos · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-17 15:43:17Z

0

it works fine for me (Python 2.7). If it is part of a query and it is failing on that part, maybe you can use another date format like:

params = "?fields=feed.since(" + SINCE.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") + ").limit(1),name,updated_time&"

Please note that capital "S", will give you the seconds of that datetime object.

answered Aug 17, 2017 at 15:43

nkipreos

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2 Comments

roganjosh Over a year ago

We are discussing your first point in comments under the main question. It doesn't work in Python 2.7 on Windows, but it seems it does work on Linux.

nkipreos Over a year ago

Well then SINCE.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") should work fine in the query. It is a useful workaround.

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