Converting string to java.util.date -

i trying convert string in java.util.date having following errors:

 helloworld.java:10: error: incompatible types: date cannot converted    string                                                                                                                                                                                return formatter.parse(date);                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ^                                                                                                                                                                                                                       helloworld.java:16: error: incompatible types: string cannot converted date                                                                                                                                                                            date date = convertstringtodate("2015-08-03 09:19:00.000");     

my code below:

import java.text.simpledateformat; import java.util.date;  public class helloworld{  private static final simpledateformat formatter = new simpledateformat("yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss");   public static string convertstringtodate(string date) {     if(date!=null){         return formatter.parse(date);     }     return null; }   public static void main(string []args){     date date = convertstringtodate("2015-08-03 09:19:00.000");     system.out.println(date);  } } 

your specified format not matching data format.

format "yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss" not compatible data "2015-08-03 09:19:00.000" because of 2 reason: (1) am/pm missing in date 'hh' takes 1-12 hrs , , (2) milliseconds present in date string

replace below mentioned line , issue resolved.

private static final simpledateformat formatter = new simpledateformat("yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.sss"); 

but, none of above mentioned issue can cause exception got milliseconds ignored default.

possible reasons of exception return type of method "convertstringtodate" or hh having value beyond range between01 , 12.

1. change return type string date
2. change date format hh hh.