Is it possible to parse a date string in LaTeX to convert it to a different date format?

Question

I’m using svn-multi to include the date of the most recent Subversion commit of my documents. However, the string has the format 2013-10-13 11:05:51 +0200 (Sun, 13 Oct 2013). Is it possible to convert this string to the same date format that is used by \today?

Here is a minimal working example (Subversion inserts the date automatically before a commit):

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{svn-multi}
\svnidlong
{$LastChangedBy: mcb $}
{$LastChangedRevision: 23 $}
{$LastChangedDate: 2013-10-13 11:05:51 +0200 (Sun, 13 Oct 2013) $}
{$HeadURL: http://example.org $}

\title{Sample Document}
\author{Sample}
\date{\svndate}

\begin{document}

\maketitle

\end{document}

pgf/tikz has a date library which can parse dates. It cannot parse times, though. The parsed date can be reformatted as needed. — Christian Feuersänger, Oct 13 '13 at 11:08
I suggest you to follow this nice tutorial here There was also an equivalent question on tex.stackexchange here, and here for the parsing, that might help you. Should you have any further problem, please do not hesitate let us know. A Mininum Working Example ([MWE](http://meta.tex.stackexchange.com/questions/228/ive-just-been-asked-to-write-a-m — Header12, Oct 13 '13 at 10:08

score 12 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 13 '13 at 15:16

12

Here's how to parse the date. The other answer gives links on adjusting the display:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{datetime}

\def\parsecommitdate#1-#2-#3 #4:#5:#6 #7\endparse{%
  \date{\formatdate{#3}{#2}{#1}}%
}

\newcommand{\svndate}{2013-10-13 11:05:51 +0200 (Sun, 13 Oct 2013)}

\title{Sample Document}
\author{Sample}

\begin{document}

% Since \svndate is not available in the preamble the date must be set in the document environment.
\expandafter\parsecommitdate\svndate\endparse

\maketitle


\end{document}

edited Oct 13 '13 at 15:16

Lenar Hoyt

1,629

answered Oct 13 '13 at 10:14

Nicola Talbot

41,153

This works really well, thank you. However, it does not work together with the \svndate (which just prints the date string). The error message is: Paragraph ended before \parsecommitdate was complete. – Lenar Hoyt Oct 13 '13 at 10:37
1

@mcb You need to expand \svndate before it can be parsed. It \svndate is a one level expansion of the formatted date you can just put \expandafter before \parsecommitdate. – Nicola Talbot Oct 13 '13 at 10:43
It doesn’t seem to work with the MWE above. – Lenar Hoyt Oct 13 '13 at 11:13
@mcb It compiles fine for me. In what way does it not work for you? (Does it give an error message or produce unexpected output?) – Nicola Talbot Oct 13 '13 at 12:14
@NicolaTablot Still the same error: Paragraph ended before \parsecommitdate was complete. (I just copied my MWE from above and added package, definition from your answer and replaced the line with the date.) – Lenar Hoyt Oct 13 '13 at 12:23
@mcb Can you edit your post to include a new MWE that shows this? What do you get if you do \show\svndate? If it doesn't show the date in the format you described, then you will get an error. – Nicola Talbot Oct 13 '13 at 13:42
@mcb I just did another check. It looks like \svndate doesn't get set until \begin{document}, so make sure your code is in the document environment not in the preamble. – Nicola Talbot Oct 13 '13 at 13:44

Is it possible to parse a date string in LaTeX to convert it to a different date format?

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