Reading a date string with a different time zone in javascript

Question

I have a datestring, pulled from an external source, that looks like this:

9/25/2011 4:38:40 PM

That source in the the PDT timezone.

I'd like to create a UTC date out of that information, using date.js. I'm using this code to parse it at present:

var dateString = '9/25/2011 4:38:40 PM';
var d = Date.parseExact('9/25/2011 4:38:40 PM', 'M/d/yyyy H:m:s tt');

While this does load the date, it does so as if it were in my timezone. How can I tell date.js that the date I'm telling it is from a different time zone?

Please note that there is no standard for timezone abbreviations or acronyms and many are ambiguous (EST is used for 3 different timezones). It is far better to use the actual offset (per ECMA-262 15.9.1.15). — RobG
– RobG, Commented Sep 27, 2011 at 21:20

amit_g · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27 20:56:19Z

1

Use timezone format specifier...

var dateString = '9/25/2011 4:38:40 PM EST';
var d = Date.parseExact(dateString, 'M/d/yyyy H:m:s tt Z');

answered Sep 27, 2011 at 20:56

amit_g

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3 Comments

Eric Over a year ago

I don't actually have control of the string. Should I just append the time zone on the end before parsing it?

amit_g Over a year ago

@Eric, which string? The dateString or the format string? If dateString then you could append the timezone, assuming you know the value in all the cases.

Eric Over a year ago

dateString. Although as @RobG says, I should use an offset rather than a 3 letter code.

Mike Ruhlin · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27 20:54:45Z

1

putting an e in a date format will signify the timezone. I haven't tested this, but:

Date.parseExact(dateString + " PDT", "M/d/yyyy H:m:s tt e")

Does not account for daylight savings time shifts (PST instead of PDT), but you get the gist.

answered Sep 27, 2011 at 20:54

Mike Ruhlin

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Comments

James Johnson · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-27 20:52:13Z

0

Have you tried something like this?:

var dateString = '9/25/2011 4:38:40 PM';

var date = Date.parseExact(dateString, format);
var utc_date = new Date(date.getTime() - (date.getTimezoneOffset() * 60000))

answered Sep 27, 2011 at 20:52

James Johnson

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