python time range validator

Question

I have 2 parameters in DB: start and stop. value for them can be eg 07:00-23:00 or 23:00-07:00 (start after 07, stop after 23 or start after 23, stop after 07)

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Answer 1

There are two cases: the current time is between given times (clock-wise) or outside (imagine the clock circle):

#!/usr/bin/env python
from datetime import datetime

def in_between(now, start, end):
    if start < end: # e.g., "07:00-23:00"
        return start <= now < end
    elif end < start: # e.g., "23:00-07:00"
        return start <= now or now < end
    else: # start == end
        return True # consider it 24 hour interval

now = datetime.now().time()
for date_range in ["07:00-23:00", "23:00-07:00"]:
    start, end = [datetime.strptime(s, "%H:%M").time()
                  for s in date_range.split("-")]
    not_ = '' if in_between(now, start, end) else 'not '
    print("{now:%H:%M} is {not_}in between {date_range}".format(**vars()))

Output

02:26 is not in between 07:00-23:00
02:26 is in between 23:00-07:00