gh-99032: datetime docs: Encoding is no longer relevant

[wjandrea]

The .strftime() methods return a Unicode string as of Python 3.0.

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For reference, under the hood, the .strftime() methods use time.strftime(), whose return value is defined here for the current tip of the main branch and here for 3.0.

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Please check my work before merging to make sure I've understood what the docs are saying. I'm also not super familiar with C or RST, but I'm quite sure I've understood them correctly.

Backports should be made to all current versions.

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BTW, encoding isn't mentioned in the time docs, so no changes required there I don't think.

• Issue: Outdated info about encoding in "datetime" #99032

[merwok]

Could you create a ticket to describe the issue and make it easier to track the fixes? Thanks

[nanjekyejoannah]

I agree, maybe we need an issue to track this.

[wjandrea]

@merwok @nanjekyejoannah I could open an issue, sure, I'm just not sure what to say beyond what I've written here. Maybe,

The docs say that strftime() will return an encoded string (i.e. bytes), but actually it returns a Unicode string as of Python 3.0 (i.e. str).

Actually, now that I think about it again, maybe it'd be better to change the warning from "may contain Unicode characters encoded ..." to "may contain non-ASCII characters." Say the word and I'll open an issue so we can discuss that.

[merwok]

That’s just the process we follow to keep things manageable 🙂
A bug report doesn’t have to be very long, if the title is clear and the description tells clearly what the problem is, then we can apply labels to categorize the problem, note all versions that need a fix, people get notified about it, etc.
The issue describes the problem and the PR discussion can focus on the solution. That’s all!

Full details here: https://devguide.python.org/triage/issue-tracker/

[Jason-Y-Z]

Thanks for the PR. I think you will need to include the issue number in your PR title :)

[bedevere-bot]

A Python core developer has requested some changes be made to your pull request before we can consider merging it. If you could please address their requests along with any other requests in other reviews from core developers that would be appreciated.

Once you have made the requested changes, please leave a comment on this pull request containing the phrase I have made the requested changes; please review again. I will then notify any core developers who have left a review that you're ready for them to take another look at this pull request.

[abalkin]

LGTM

[miss-islington]

Thanks @wjandrea for the PR, and @pganssle for merging it 🌮🎉.. I'm working now to backport this PR to: 3.11.
🐍🍒⛏🤖

[bedevere-bot]

GH-103788 is a backport of this pull request to the 3.11 branch.