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Python Dates and Times in Python (2014) Let's Build a Timed Quiz App Timestamp Ordering

Posted by john larson
john larson
16,594 Points

this works local without the * for unpacking but does not pass the challenge, wondering why?

import datetime

def timestamp_oldest(*ts_args):
#   Create a function named timestamp_oldest that 
#   takes any number of POSIX timestamp arguments. 
#   Return the oldest one as a datetime object.

#   Remember, POSIX timestamps are floats and 
#   lists have a .sort() method.
    ts_list = []

    for ts in ts_args:
        ts_list.append(ts)
    order = sorted(ts_list) 

    return  datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(order[0])

2 Answers

Kenneth Love
STAFF
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher
Kenneth Love
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher

It works without the * locally because you're turning ts_args into a list and then sorting it. You can do this whole thing without converting ts_args to a list, which'll save processing time and memory.

How would you do that?

john larson
john larson
16,594 Points

Thanks Kenneth, didn't expect a response from you. Love your course :D I will look at how to do that without converting ts_args to list.

FHATUWANI Dondry MUVHANGO
FHATUWANI Dondry MUVHANGO
17,796 Points
FHATUWANI Dondry MUVHANGO
FHATUWANI Dondry MUVHANGO
17,796 Points

thanks for asking this question John, i was breaking my brain with one