Convert string to date using datefinder

Question

An issue occurs when I try to find a date in a .txt file using datefinder. I have the feeling I am unnecessarily switching between data types to obtain the result I desire.

Underneath is a MWE which results in generator object, which in turn is empty when changed to a list. I would like to obtain a datetime in the format %d-%m-%Y. MWE:

import datefinder 

f = ['this is text', 'this is a date', '* Model creation date:            Sun Apr 25 08:52:06 2021']
for line in f:
    if "creation date" in line: 
        date_line = str(line)
        rev_date = datefinder.find_dates(_date_line)

Answer 1

dateutil's parser seems to do a better job:

import dateutil

f = ['this is text', 'this is a date', '* Model creation date:            Sun Apr 25 08:52:06 2021']
dates = []

for line in f:
    try:
        dates.append(dateutil.parser.parse(line, fuzzy=True))
    except dateutil.parser.ParserError:
        pass
    
print(dates)    
# [datetime.datetime(2021, 4, 25, 8, 52, 6)]

For the specific use-case:

for line in f:
    if "* Model creation date:" in line:
        rev_date = dateutil.parser.parse(line, fuzzy=True)
        break
print(rev_date)    
# 2021-04-25 08:52:06