Convert a date string to a Unix timestamp

Question

I have this date "Mon Mar 15 20:51:18 +0000 2010". How do i convert this date into a Unix timestamp?

Sniggerfardimungus · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-15 23:18:48Z

4

require 'time'
Time.parse("Mon Mar 15 20:51:18 +0000 2010").to_i

answered Mar 15, 2010 at 23:18

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Comments

Zepplock · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-15 23:21:05Z

3

Just call ".to_i" on your DateTime object

answered Mar 15, 2010 at 23:21

Zepplock

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There is no to_i on DateTime, you have to go via Time, i.e. .to_time.to_i

thekingoftruth · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-16 01:03:19Z

0

You could definitely use

require 'time'
Time.parse("Mon Mar 15 20:51:18 +0000 2010").to_i

Like user30997 and Zepplock said, however if you have non-standard time string, you might want to use the chronic library.

require 'chronic'
Chronic.parse('tomorrow').to_i

It makes input fields on websites really nice for the end user.

answered Mar 16, 2010 at 1:03

thekingoftruth

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