python - How do I print a datetime in the local timezone?

Question

Let's say I have a variable t that's set to this:

datetime.datetime(2009, 7, 10, 18, 44, 59, 193982, tzinfo=<UTC>)

If I say str(t), i get:

'2009-07-10 18:44:59.193982+00:00'

How can I get a similar string, except printed in the local timezone rather than UTC?

Answer 1

This script demonstrates a few ways to show the local timezone using astimezone():

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import pytz
from datetime import datetime, timezone
from tzlocal import get_localzone

utc_dt = datetime.now(timezone.utc)

PST = pytz.timezone('US/Pacific')
EST = pytz.timezone('US/Eastern')
JST = pytz.timezone('Asia/Tokyo')
NZST = pytz.timezone('Pacific/Auckland')

print("Pacific time {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone(PST).isoformat()))
print("Eastern time {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone(EST).isoformat()))
print("UTC time     {}".format(utc_dt.isoformat()))
print("Japan time   {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone(JST).isoformat()))

# Use astimezone() without an argument
print("Local time   {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone().isoformat()))

# Use tzlocal get_localzone
print("Local time   {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone(get_localzone()).isoformat()))

# Explicitly create a pytz timezone object
# Substitute a pytz.timezone object for your timezone
print("Local time   {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone(NZST).isoformat()))

It outputs the following:

$ ./timezones.py 
Pacific time 2019-02-22T17:54:14.957299-08:00
Eastern time 2019-02-22T20:54:14.957299-05:00
UTC time     2019-02-23T01:54:14.957299+00:00
Japan time   2019-02-23T10:54:14.957299+09:00
Local time   2019-02-23T14:54:14.957299+13:00
Local time   2019-02-23T14:54:14.957299+13:00
Local time   2019-02-23T14:54:14.957299+13:00

As of python 3.6 calling astimezone() without a timezone object defaults to the local zone (docs). This means you don't need to import tzlocal and can simply do the following:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

from datetime import datetime, timezone

utc_dt = datetime.now(timezone.utc)

print("Local time {}".format(utc_dt.astimezone().isoformat()))