def load(self, requirements_file=None):
        """Load or reload requirements from a requirements.txt file.

        :param requirements_file: if not given, the filename used from
            initialization will be read again.
        """
        if requirements_file is None:
            requirements_file = self.filename
            if requirements_file is None:
                raise ValueError("no filename provided")
        elif isinstance(requirements_file, text_type):
            requirements_file = Path(requirements_file)
        self.clear()
        with requirements_file.open() as f:
            self.loads(f.read())

        if isinstance(requirements_file, (text_type, Path)):
            self.filename = requirements_file
def get_date(self, p_tag):
        """ Given a date tag, return a date object. """
        string = self.tag_value(p_tag)
        result = None

        try:
            result = date_string_to_date(string) if string else None
        except ValueError:
            pass

        return result