Converting input from a file to a Date in java

Question

I have a text file I am importing data from that is information about items in a library. One of these pieces of information is the date the item was loaned. I cannot figure out what syntax I need to get the text from the file that will be in dd/MM/yyyy format read in and converted to a Date value using

import java.util.Date;

As it currently sits, the error is "cannot find symbol

symbol: method SimpleDateFormat(String) location: class digitalLibrary

I am not wanting it to look for a method I wrote... Instead I believe what I want it to do is use

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;

Any help would be greatly appreciated

public static Item createLibrary (ArrayList <Item> library)
{
    Scanner reader = null;
    try {
        File inputFile = new File("library.txt");
        reader = new Scanner(inputFile);
    } catch (FileNotFoundException ex) {
        System.out.println("Could not open the file.");
        System.exit(0);
    }

    //This loop fills the ArrayList with the input from the library.txt file
    for (int i =0; reader.hasNext(); i++)
    {
        Item a = new Item();
        a.setTitle(reader.nextLine());
        a.setFormat(reader.nextLine());
        a.setOnLoan(Boolean.parseBoolean(reader.nextLine()));
        a.setLoanedTo(reader.nextLine());
        //My problem is in the next two lines of code, specifically
        //SimpleDateFormat
        String dateFormat = "dd/MM/yyyy";
        a.setDateLoaned(SimpleDateFormat(dateFormat).parse(reader.nextLine()));
        reader.nextLine();

        //This adds the item with all the attributes to the ArrayList library
        library.add(a);
    }   
}

This is separate code I have written inside my Item class for when I ask the user for when the item was loaned out that is similar and works:

public Date getTheDateLoaned()
{
    System.out.println("What day was it loaned out in dd/MM/yyyy format?");
    String dateFormat = "dd/MM/yyyy";
    Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
    try 
    {
        return new SimpleDateFormat(dateFormat).parse(scanner.nextLine());
    } 
    catch (ParseException ex) 
    {
        System.out.println("This was not in the right format. The format"
                + "needs to be dd/MM//yyyy");
    }
return null;
}

Thank you again for any guidance!

Answer 1

Without seeing the entire exact printout of the error, I can't be sure, but it looks like you haven't imported SimpleDateFormat. Before your class statement, add the line import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;, and you should be all set. Did you try this?

Also, you forgot new. Try this:

a.setDateLoaned((new SimpleDateFormat(dateFormat)).parse(reader.nextLine()));