How to Fix java.text.ParseException When Parsing Dates in Android?

Date Parsing Error: java.text.ParseException with SimpleDateFormat

Problem Statement

When parsing a date string using SimpleDateFormat in Android, the following error occurs:

java.text.ParseException: Unparseable date: "24 Oct 2016 7:31 pm" (at offset 3)

Solution: Specify Locale with SimpleDateFormat and Use DateTimeFormatter for Custom Formats

To resolve the error, it is crucial to explicitly specify a locale when using SimpleDateFormat. This ensures that the date format is interpreted correctly based on the locale's conventions.

In addition, it is highly recommended to switch to the modern Java 8 date and time API, which provides improved functionality and eliminates potential issues with outdated APIs like SimpleDateFormat.

For custom date formats, DateTimeFormatter should be used instead of SimpleDateFormat. It offers case-insensitive parsing, supports multiple locales, and is more flexible overall.

Code Example

import java.time.LocalDateTime;
import java.time.format.DateTimeFormatter;

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String strDateTime = "24 Oct 2016 7:31 pm";
        DateTimeFormatter dtf = DateTimeFormatter.ofPattern("d MMM uuuu h:m a", Locale.ENGLISH);
        LocalDateTime ldt = LocalDateTime.parse(strDateTime, dtf);
        System.out.println(ldt);
    }
}

Default Locale Pitfalls

Default locales can be problematic when parsing dates, as they vary depending on the system's locale settings. To avoid these issues, always explicitly specify the desired locale.

Additional Notes

• Recommending the Java 8 API: The Java 8 date and time API is more efficient, flexible, and has built-in support for multiple time zones. It is highly encouraged to migrate to this API for improved functionality and maintenance.
• ThreeTen-Backport for Java 6 and 7: If you cannot upgrade to Java 8, consider using ThreeTen-Backport to backport the Java 8 date and time functionality to Java 6 and 7.

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