How to get min, seconds and milliseconds from datetime.now() in Python?

Python's datetime module is used to extract various components of the current date and time, such as minutes, seconds, and even milliseconds.

The datetime.now() method defined in the datetime module returns the current local date and time as a datetime object. This object allows us to access its individual components like minute, second, and microsecond.

Using Attributes of datetime.now() to Extract Values

Here we use the datetime.now() method to get the current minutes, seconds, and milliseconds. The now() function is defined under the datetime module. We retrieve the current minutes, seconds, and milliseconds by using .minute, .second, and .microsecond, respectively.

Example

In the following example, we get the current minutes, seconds, and milliseconds using the datetime.now() method −

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
print("Today's date is:", now)
print("Minutes:", now.minute)
print("Seconds:", now.second)
print("Microseconds:", now.microsecond)
print("Milliseconds:", now.microsecond // 1000)

The output of the above code is −

Today's date is: 2024-01-15 14:25:42.378945
Minutes: 25
Seconds: 42
Microseconds: 378945
Milliseconds: 378

Using datetime.now() and strftime() to Format Time

Here we use the strftime() method, which is provided by the datetime module. We have used the datetime.now() method to get the current date. Then we format this date by using the strftime() method. In this case, we format a string in the form of "minutes:seconds.microseconds".

Example

The following example gets the current minutes, seconds and milliseconds using the datetime.now() and strftime() methods −

from datetime import datetime

curr_time = datetime.now()
formatted_time = curr_time.strftime('%M:%S.%f')
print("Formatted time (MM:SS.microseconds):", formatted_time)

# To get milliseconds, truncate microseconds
milliseconds_format = curr_time.strftime('%M:%S.') + str(curr_time.microsecond // 1000).zfill(3)
print("Formatted time (MM:SS.milliseconds):", milliseconds_format)

The output of the above code is −

Formatted time (MM:SS.microseconds): 25:42.378945
Formatted time (MM:SS.milliseconds): 25:42.378

Creating a Custom Time String with Minutes, Seconds, and Milliseconds

Sometimes, we may want to create a custom time string using the values obtained from datetime.now() method. We can combine .minute, .second, and the converted .microsecond for this.

Example

The following code gets the current time, extracts minutes, seconds, and converts microseconds to milliseconds, then formats it as a string −

from datetime import datetime

now = datetime.now()
minutes = now.minute
seconds = now.second  
milliseconds = now.microsecond // 1000

time_str = f"{minutes:02d}:{seconds:02d}.{milliseconds:03d}"
print("Time (MM:SS.ms):", time_str)

# Alternative format
time_str_alt = f"Minutes: {minutes}, Seconds: {seconds}, Milliseconds: {milliseconds}"
print("Alternative format:", time_str_alt)

The output of the above code is −

Time (MM:SS.ms): 25:42.378
Alternative format: Minutes: 25, Seconds: 42, Milliseconds: 378

Key Points

• microsecond vs millisecond: Python's datetime returns microseconds (1/1,000,000 second). To get milliseconds, divide by 1000.
• strftime() format codes: Use %M for minutes, %S for seconds, and %f for microseconds.
• Zero padding: Use format specifiers like {value:02d} to ensure consistent width.

Conclusion

Use datetime.now() attributes to directly access time components. Convert microseconds to milliseconds by dividing by 1000. Use strftime() for formatted string output or f-strings for custom formatting.