public static Date parse(String timeString) throws ParseException {
  if (timeString == null || timeString.isEmpty())   return null;
  DateFormat timeFormat=new SimpleDateFormat(TimeField.FORMAT);
  return timeFormat.parse(timeString);
}

public static Date parse ( String timeString ) throws ParseException { if ( timeString == null || timeString . isEmpty ( ) ) return null ; DateFormat timeFormat = new SimpleDateFormat ( TimeField . FORMAT ) ; return timeFormat . parse ( timeString ) ; }
parses the given string into a corresponding time . the string must follow the standard format used by time fields , as defined by format and as would be produced by format ( ) .
