apache / apache/arrow

[Python] Use tzdata timezone database on Windows

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Component: C++ Component: Python Priority: Critical Type: enhancement
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Description

In ARROW-13168, we enabled setting the path of the text-based database engine at runtime. This allowed R to use the tzdb package for the timezone database, since it uses the text format.

However, it doesn't seem like tzdata Python package ships that text format. They do have [a "compact" text format](https://github.com/python/tzdata/blob/master/src/tzdata/zoneinfo/tzdata.zi), which _might_ be compatible with our vendored date library. Otherwise, we'd likely have to wait for binary format support in https://github.com/HowardHinnant/date/issues/564

**Reporter**: [Will Jones](https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ARROW-16054) / @wjones127
**Watchers**: [Rok Mihevc](https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ARROW-16054) / @rok
#### Related issues:
- https://github.com/apache/arrow/issues/28868 (is related to)

**Note**: *This issue was originally created as [ARROW-16054](https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ARROW-16054). Please see the [migration documentation](https://github.com/apache/arrow/issues/14542) for further details.*

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start with ARROW-13168 and related issue 28868, then compare the Python tzdata package's tzdata.zi compact text format with the vendored date library. Check the binary-format discussion in HowardHinnant/date issue 564. Done means Python on Windows can use the tzdata package as its timezone database.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp, python
Domain
internationalization
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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