android - Parsing String to Calendar in Java? -

i having trouble parsing string calendar object in java pulling xml element (i'm writing android app) can calculate length of time between time in string , current time. brand new java , come .net world, additional background here can helpful.

the code trying use is:

// using class define format date parsing. simpledateformat sdf = new simpledateformat("yyyymmdd hh:mm:ss", locale.english);  // readarrivalvalue reads element xml, seems working. string prdt = readarrivalvalue(parser, "prdt"); // @ point prdt evaluates correct value: "20150331 20:14:40"  date dateprdt = sdf.parse(prdt); // dateprdt doesn't seem set properly. evaluates to: //    dateprdt = {java.util.date@830031077456}"sat jan 31 20:14:40 cst 2015" //      milliseconds = 1422761216000  // element.prdt of type calendar. nothing done prior statement. element.prdt.settime(dateprdt); // throws null pointer exception 

two issues code:

• fix simpledateformat pattern you're parsing minutes mm in place of months mm too!

  new simpledateformat("yyyymmdd hh:mm:ss", locale.english);                           ^ 

• you forgot initialize calendar instance , hence npe.

  element.prdt = calendar.getinstance(); element.prdt.settime(dateprdt);