\begin{funcdesc}{strptime}{string\optional{, format}}

Parse a string representing a time according to a format. The return

value is a tuple as returned by \code{gmtime()} or \code{localtime()}.

The format uses the same directives as those used by

\code{strftime()}; it defaults to \code{"\%a \%b \%d \%H:\%M:\%S \%Y"}

which matches the formatting returned by \code{ctime()}. The same

platform caveats apply; see the local Unix documentation for

restrictions or additional supported directives. This function may

not be defined on all platforms.

\end{funcdesc}