Checking date against date range in Python

Question

I have a date variable: 2011-01-15 and I would like to get a boolean back if said date is within 3 days from TODAY. Im not quite sure how to construct this in P

Answer 1

Others have already more than adequately answered, so no need to vote on this answer.
(Uses technique shown in Mark Byers' answer; +1 to him).

import datetime as dt

def within_days_from_today(the_date, num_days=7):
    '''
        return True if date between today and `num_days` from today
        return False otherwise

        >>> today = dt.date.today()
        >>> within_days_from_today(today - dt.timedelta(days=1), num_days=3)
        False
        >>> within_days_from_today(dt.date.today(), num_days=3)
        True
        >>> within_days_from_today(today + dt.timedelta(days=1), num_days=3)
        True
        >>> within_days_from_today(today + dt.timedelta(days=2), num_days=3)
        True
        >>> within_days_from_today(today + dt.timedelta(days=3), num_days=3)
        True
        >>> within_days_from_today(today + dt.timedelta(days=4), num_days=3)
        False
    '''
    lower_limit = dt.date.today()
    upper_limit = lower_limit + dt.timedelta(days=num_days)
    if lower_limit <= the_date <= upper_limit:
        return True
    else:
        return False

if __name__ == "__main__":
    import doctest
    doctest.testmod()