Combining Date and Time Columns in pandas

Описание: Learn how to efficiently combine date and time columns in `pandas` to create a new column in 24-hour format. Get step-by-step instructions and sample code!
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How to Combine Date and Time Columns in pandas

Good morning, data enthusiasts! If you've ever found yourself needing to merge date and time data into a single column in pandas, you're in the right place. This can be a common task, especially in data analysis where accurate timestamps are crucial. In this guide, we'll explore how to combine date and time columns into one column using the popular pandas library in Python.

Understanding the Problem

You might encounter a scenario where you have two separate columns, one for dates and another for times. For instance, your DataFrame could look like this:

DateTime2021-10-0112:42 PMIn this example:

The Date column contains dates in the format yyyy-mm-dd

The Time column contains times in 12-hour format

Your goal is to merge these columns into a single column with a 24-hour format like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Steps to Combine the Columns

Step 1: Setting Up Your DataFrame

First, you will want to create a DataFrame similar to the one we talked about. Here’s how you can do it:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Merging Date and Time

The next step is to merge the two columns. pandas makes this easy by allowing you to concatenate strings before converting them to a datetime object. Here’s the code you'll need:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This line effectively combines the Date and Time into a new column called dateMerge and automatically infers the date and time format.

Step 3: Formatting the Result

The result will be in a datetime format, but we want it displayed in a specific format. You can format the datetime output using strftime, like so:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Final Result

Now, when you check your DataFrame, it should look like this:

DateTimedateMerge2021-10-0112:42 PM2021-10-01 12:42This gives you a neatly combined date and time column in the 24-hour format you desired.

Conclusion

Combining date and time columns in pandas is a straightforward process that can help you streamline your data analysis. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily create a new column that contains both date and time in the format you need.

Feel free to use the provided code snippets in your own data projects, and watch how they simplify your work with datetime data!

If you have any further questions or need clarification on any points, please don't hesitate to ask. Happy coding!