Java Timestamp valueOf()

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In this guide, you will learn about the Timestamp valueOf() method in Java programming and how to use it with an example.

1. Timestamp valueOf() Method Overview

Definition:

The valueOf() method of the Timestamp class in Java is a static method used to convert a string representing a timestamp in the format "yyyy-[m]m-[d]d hh:mm:ss[.f...]" to a Timestamp object.

Syntax:

public static Timestamp valueOf(String s)

Parameters:

- s: A string representing a timestamp in the format "yyyy-[m]m-[d]d hh:mm:ss[.f...]".

Key Points:

- The Timestamp class is part of the java.sql package.

- The valueOf() method throws IllegalArgumentException if the given string does not follow the correct format.

- The method is particularly useful when there is a need to convert a string representation of a timestamp back to a Timestamp object, such as when reading from a database or a file.

- The fractional seconds are optional; if present, they must be separated from the seconds by a decimal point and can be 1-9 digits long.

2. Timestamp valueOf() Method Example

import java.sql.Timestamp;

public class TimestampExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // A valid string representing a timestamp
        String timestampStr = "2023-09-20 12:45:30.123456789";

        // Converting the string to a Timestamp object
        Timestamp timestamp = Timestamp.valueOf(timestampStr);

        // Printing the Timestamp object
        System.out.println("Timestamp from String: " + timestamp);

        // Attempting to create a Timestamp from an invalid string
        try {
            Timestamp invalidTimestamp = Timestamp.valueOf("invalid-timestamp-string");
            System.out.println("Invalid Timestamp: " + invalidTimestamp);
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
            System.out.println("Exception: " + e.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

Output:

Timestamp from String: 2023-09-20 12:45:30.123456789
Exception: Timestamp format must be yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss[.fffffffff]

Explanation:

In this example, we successfully created a Timestamp object from a valid string representing a timestamp and printed it. We also attempted to create a Timestamp from an invalid string, which resulted in an IllegalArgumentException, demonstrating that the input string must conform to the timestamp format.