How Can I Efficiently Parse Dates in Multiple Formats Using Java's SimpleDateFormat?

Parsing Dates in Multiple Formats with SimpleDateFormat

When parsing dates from user input, it's common to encounter varying formats. To effectively handle these scenarios, consider employing the SimpleDateFormat class.

Choosing SimpleDateFormat Formats

To parse the given date formats, we need distinct SimpleDateFormat objects. However, we can leverage the rule regarding the number of pattern letters.

For instance, "M/y" will parse "9/09" and "9/2009" without ambiguity. Similarly, "M-d-y" will parse "9-1-2009".

Suggested Approach

1. Create a List of Formats: List the format strings you need to parse the common formats: ["M/y", "M/d/y", "M-d-y"]
2. Implement a tryParse() Method: This method will loop through the format strings and try to parse the date using each one. If any format succeeds, it will return the parsed date. Otherwise, it will return null.

import java.text.ParseException;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;

public class DateParser {

    private List<String> formatStrings = Arrays.asList("M/y", "M/d/y", "M-d-y");

    public Date tryParse(String dateString) {
        for (String formatString : formatStrings) {
            try {
                return new SimpleDateFormat(formatString).parse(dateString);
            } catch (ParseException e) {
                // Ignore the exception and try the next format
            }
        }

        return null;
    }
}

By utilizing this approach, you can efficiently parse dates with varying formats while minimizing code duplication.

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