wxPython: Converting wx.DateTime to Python datetime

The wxPython GUI toolkit includes its own date / time capabilities. Most of the time, you can just use Python’s datetime and time modules and you’ll be fine. But occasionally you’ll find yourself needing to convert from wxPython’s wx.DateTime objects to Python’s datetime objects. You may encounter this when you use the wx.DatePickerCtrl widget.

Fortunately, wxPython’s calendar module has some helper functions that can help you convert datetime objects back and forth between wxPython and Python. Let’s take a look:

def _pydate2wxdate(date):
     import datetime
     assert isinstance(date, (datetime.datetime, datetime.date))
     tt = date.timetuple()
     dmy = (tt[2], tt[1]-1, tt[0])
     return wx.DateTimeFromDMY(*dmy)

def _wxdate2pydate(date):
     import datetime
     assert isinstance(date, wx.DateTime)
     if date.IsValid():
          ymd = map(int, date.FormatISODate().split('-'))
          return datetime.date(*ymd)
     else:
          return None

You can use these handy functions in your own code to help with your conversions. I would probably put these into a controller or utilities script. I would also rewrite it slightly so I wouldn’t import Python’s datetime module inside the functions. Here’s an example:

import datetime
import wx

def pydate2wxdate(date):
     assert isinstance(date, (datetime.datetime, datetime.date))
     tt = date.timetuple()
     dmy = (tt[2], tt[1]-1, tt[0])
     return wx.DateTimeFromDMY(*dmy)

def wxdate2pydate(date):
     assert isinstance(date, wx.DateTime)
     if date.IsValid():
          ymd = map(int, date.FormatISODate().split('-'))
          return datetime.date(*ymd)
     else:
          return None 

You can read more about this topic on this old wxPython mailing thread. Have fun and happy coding!