# Converting a date to mysql format

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/converting-a-date-to-mysql-format/164959>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [April 7, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/converting-a-date-to-mysql-format/164959 "2009-04-07T21:00:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![chrismalek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrismalek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/chrismalek)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/converting-a-date-to-mysql-format/164959/1 "2009-04-07T21:00:52Z")

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Is there an easy way to convert ‘13-Mar-2009 20:55 PDT’ into something  
that ruby understands, so that I can output it in a format that mysql  
understands?

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**Author:** ![chrismalek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrismalek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/chrismalek)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/converting-a-date-to-mysql-format/164959/2 "2009-04-07T21:28:25Z")

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Crustov wrote:

> Is there an easy way to convert ‘13-Mar-2009 20:55 PDT’ into something  
> that ruby understands, so that I can output it in a format that mysql  
> understands?

require ‘time’  
t = Time.parse ‘13-Mar-2009 20:55 PDT’  
t.strftime("%Y-%m-%d") # =\> “2009-03-13”

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**Author:** ![chrismalek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrismalek](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/chrismalek)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/converting-a-date-to-mysql-format/164959/3 "2009-04-07T22:10:41Z")

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On Apr 7, 12:26 pm, Joel VanderWerf [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> ```
> vjoel : Joel VanderWerf : path berkeley edu : 510 665 3407
> 
> ```

Awesome. Thanks.