Repository: pandas-dev/pandas (python)

Issue:
BUG: Passing an empty Index to pd.DataFrame.from_records() produces a ValueError
### Pandas version checks

- [X] I have checked that this issue has not already been reported.

- [X] I have confirmed this bug exists on the [latest version](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/whatsnew/index.html) of pandas.

- [x] I have confirmed this bug exists on the [main branch](https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/dev/getting_started/install.html#installing-the-development-version-of-pandas) of pandas.


### Reproducible Example

```python
import pandas as pd

empty_df = pd.DataFrame([])  # works
df = pd.DataFrame([], index=empty_df.index)  # works
df = pd.DataFrame([], index=[])  # works
df = pd.DataFrame.from_records([])  # works
df = pd.DataFrame.from_records([], index=empty_df.index)  # raises ValueError
df = pd.DataFrame.from_records([], index=[])  # raises ValueError
```


### Issue Description

Passing an empty list or Index to the `index` parameter of `pd.DataFrame.from_records()` leads to
`ValueError: Must pass non-zero number of levels/codes`. This is true even if one passes an empty list of records to the method.

This is surprising for a couple of reasons. First, the lengths of the records and the index match, so it seems as though it should work properly. Second, as shown above, the `DataFrame` constructor doesn't complain when I pass an empty list or Index to its `index` parameter.

Finally, the documentation for `from_records()` describes the `index` parameter as, "Field of array to use as the index, alternately a specific set of input labels to use." Intuitively, an empty set should be acceptable when there's an empty list of input data.

### Expected Behavior

No error

### Installed Versions

<details>

INSTALLED VERSIONS
------------------
commit                : d9cdd2ee5a58015ef6f4d15c7226110c9aab8140
python                : 3.12.2.final.0
python-bits           : 64
OS                    : Windows
OS-release            : 10
Version               : 10.0.19045
machine               : AMD64
processor             : Intel64 Family 6 Model 165 Stepping 3, GenuineIntel
byteorder             : little
LC_ALL                : None
LANG                  : None
LOCALE                : English_United States.1252

pandas                : 2.2.2
numpy                 : 1.26.4
pytz                  : 2024.1
dateutil              : 2.9.0.post0
setuptools            : None
pip                   : 24.0
Cython                : None
pytest                : None
hypothesis            : None
sphinx                : None
blosc                 : None
feather               : None
xlsxwriter            : None
lxml.etree            : None
html5lib              : None
pymysql               : None
psycopg2              : None
jinja2                : None
IPython               : None
pandas_datareader     : None
adbc-driver-postgresql: None
adbc-driver-sqlite    : None
bs4                   : None
bottleneck            : None
dataframe-api-compat  : None
fastparquet           : None
fsspec                : None
gcsfs                 : None
matplotlib            : None
numba                 : None
numexpr               : None
odfpy                 : None
openpyxl              : None
pandas_gbq            : None
pyarrow               : None
pyreadstat            : None
python-calamine       : None
pyxlsb                : None
s3fs                  : None
scipy                 : None
sqlalchemy            : None
tables                : None
tabulate              : None
xarray                : None
xlrd                  : None
zstandard             : None
tzdata                : 2024.1
qtpy                  : None
pyqt5                 : None

</details>

Pull request:
BUG: pandas-dev#58594
- [X] closes #58594 
- [X] [Tests added and passed](https://pandas.pydata.org/pandas-docs/dev/development/contributing_codebase.html#writing-tests) if fixing a bug or adding a new feature
- [X] All [code checks passed](https://pandas.pydata.org/pandas-docs/dev/development/contributing_codebase.html#pre-commit).
- [x] Added [type annotations](https://pandas.pydata.org/pandas-docs/dev/development/contributing_codebase.html#type-hints) to new arguments/methods/functions.
- [x] Added an entry in the latest `doc/source/whatsnew/vX.X.X.rst` file if fixing a bug or adding a new feature.


Patch:
diff --git a/ci/code_checks.sh b/ci/code_checks.sh
index 255e680d8d..1e9250fd77 100755
--- a/ci/code_checks.sh
+++ b/ci/code_checks.sh
@@ -70,10 +70,8 @@ if [[ -z "$CHECK" || "$CHECK" == "docstrings" ]]; then
         --format=actions \
         -i ES01 `# For now it is ok if docstrings are missing the extended summary` \
         -i "pandas.Series.dt PR01" `# Accessors are implemented as classes, but we do not document the Parameters section` \
-        -i "pandas.Grouper PR02" \
         -i "pandas.MultiIndex.append PR07,SA01" \
         -i "pandas.MultiIndex.copy PR07,RT03,SA01" \
-        -i "pandas.MultiIndex.drop PR07,RT03,SA01" \
         -i "pandas.MultiIndex.get_level_values SA01" \
         -i "pandas.MultiIndex.get_loc PR07" \
         -i "pandas.MultiIndex.get_loc_level PR07" \
@@ -160,7 +158,6 @@ if [[ -z "$CHECK" || "$CHECK" == "docstrings" ]]; then
         -i "pandas.Series.product RT03" \
         -i "pandas.Series.reorder_levels RT03,SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.sem PR01,RT03,SA01" \
-        -i "pandas.Series.skew SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.sparse PR01,SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.sparse.density SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.sparse.fill_value SA01" \
@@ -198,8 +195,6 @@ if [[ -z "$CHECK" || "$CHECK" == "docstrings" ]]; then
         -i "pandas.Series.str.wrap RT03,SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.str.zfill RT03" \
         -i "pandas.Series.struct.dtypes SA01" \
-        -i "pandas.Series.to_dict SA01" \
-        -i "pandas.Series.to_frame SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.to_markdown SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Series.update PR07,SA01" \
         -i "pandas.Timedelta.asm8 SA01" \
diff --git a/doc/source/whatsnew/v3.0.0.rst b/doc/source/whatsnew/v3.0.0.rst
index cc7706741e..c5c886912e 100644
--- a/doc/source/whatsnew/v3.0.0.rst
+++ b/doc/source/whatsnew/v3.0.0.rst
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ Datetimelike
 - Bug in :meth:`DatetimeIndex.is_year_start` and :meth:`DatetimeIndex.is_quarter_start` returning ``False`` on double-digit frequencies (:issue:`58523`)
 - Bug in :meth:`DatetimeIndex.union` when ``unit`` was non-nanosecond (:issue:`59036`)
 - Bug in :meth:`Series.dt.microsecond` producing incorrect results for pyarrow backed :class:`Series`. (:issue:`59154`)
+- Bug in :meth:`to_datetime` not respecting dayfirst if an uncommon date string was passed. (:issue:`58859`)
 - Bug in setting scalar values with mismatched resolution into arrays with non-nanosecond ``datetime64``, ``timedelta64`` or :class:`DatetimeTZDtype` incorrectly truncating those scalars (:issue:`56410`)
 
 Timedelta
@@ -546,6 +547,7 @@ Interval
 Indexing
 ^^^^^^^^
 - Bug in :meth:`DataFrame.__getitem__` returning modified columns when called with ``slice`` in Python 3.12 (:issue:`57500`)
+- Bug in :meth:`DataFrame.from_records` throwing a ``ValueError`` when passed an empty list in ``index`` (:issue:`58594`)
 -
 
 Missing
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx
index 3a55f5fa0c..0fadbbbed2 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx
+++ b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/conversion.pyx
@@ -606,37 +606,42 @@ cdef _TSObject convert_str_to_tsobject(str ts, tzinfo tz,
         # equiv: datetime.today().replace(tzinfo=tz)
         return convert_datetime_to_tsobject(dt, tz, nanos=0, reso=NPY_FR_us)
     else:
-        string_to_dts_failed = string_to_dts(
-            ts, &dts, &out_bestunit, &out_local,
-            &out_tzoffset, False
-        )
-        if not string_to_dts_failed:
-            reso = get_supported_reso(out_bestunit)
-            check_dts_bounds(&dts, reso)
-            obj = _TSObject()
-            obj.dts = dts
-            obj.creso = reso
-            ival = npy_datetimestruct_to_datetime(reso, &dts)
-
-            if out_local == 1:
-                obj.tzinfo = timezone(timedelta(minutes=out_tzoffset))
-                obj.value = tz_localize_to_utc_single(
-                    ival, obj.tzinfo, ambiguous="raise", nonexistent=None, creso=reso
-                )
-                if tz is None:
-                    check_overflows(obj, reso)
-                    return obj
-                _adjust_tsobject_tz_using_offset(obj, tz)
-                return  obj
-            else:
-                if tz is not None:
-                    # shift for _localize_tso
-                    ival = tz_localize_to_utc_single(
-                        ival, tz, ambiguous="raise", nonexistent=None, creso=reso
+        if not dayfirst:  # GH 58859
+            string_to_dts_failed = string_to_dts(
+                ts, &dts, &out_bestunit, &out_local,
+                &out_tzoffset, False
+            )
+            if not string_to_dts_failed:
+                reso = get_supported_reso(out_bestunit)
+                check_dts_bounds(&dts, reso)
+                obj = _TSObject()
+                obj.dts = dts
+                obj.creso = reso
+                ival = npy_datetimestruct_to_datetime(reso, &dts)
+
+                if out_local == 1:
+                    obj.tzinfo = timezone(timedelta(minutes=out_tzoffset))
+                    obj.value = tz_localize_to_utc_single(
+                        ival,
+                        obj.tzinfo,
+                        ambiguous="raise",
+                        nonexistent=None,
+                        creso=reso,
                     )
-                obj.value = ival
-                maybe_localize_tso(obj, tz, obj.creso)
-                return obj
+                    if tz is None:
+                        check_overflows(obj, reso)
+                        return obj
+                    _adjust_tsobject_tz_using_offset(obj, tz)
+                    return  obj
+                else:
+                    if tz is not None:
+                        # shift for _localize_tso
+                        ival = tz_localize_to_utc_single(
+                            ival, tz, ambiguous="raise", nonexistent=None, creso=reso
+                        )
+                    obj.value = ival
+                    maybe_localize_tso(obj, tz, obj.creso)
+                    return obj
 
         dt = parse_datetime_string(
             ts,
diff --git a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/parsing.pyx b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/parsing.pyx
index 35d2433a70..3081834021 100644
--- a/pandas/_libs/tslibs/parsing.pyx
+++ b/pandas/_libs/tslibs/parsing.pyx
@@ -377,32 +377,33 @@ def parse_datetime_string_with_reso(
         raise ValueError(f'Given date string "{date_string}" not likely a datetime')
 
     # Try iso8601 first, as it handles nanoseconds
-    string_to_dts_failed = string_to_dts(
-        date_string, &dts, &out_bestunit, &out_local,
-        &out_tzoffset, False
-    )
-    if not string_to_dts_failed:
-        # Match Timestamp and drop picoseconds, femtoseconds, attoseconds
-        # The new resolution will just be nano
-        # GH#50417
-        if out_bestunit in _timestamp_units:
-            out_bestunit = NPY_DATETIMEUNIT.NPY_FR_ns
-
-        if out_bestunit == NPY_DATETIMEUNIT.NPY_FR_ns:
-            # TODO: avoid circular import
-            from pandas import Timestamp
-            parsed = Timestamp(date_string)
-        else:
-            if out_local:
-                tz = timezone(timedelta(minutes=out_tzoffset))
+    if not dayfirst:  # GH 58859
+        string_to_dts_failed = string_to_dts(
+            date_string, &dts, &out_bestunit, &out_local,
+            &out_tzoffset, False
+        )
+        if not string_to_dts_failed:
+            # Match Timestamp and drop picoseconds, femtoseconds, attoseconds
+            # The new resolution will just be nano
+            # GH#50417
+            if out_bestunit in _timestamp_units:
+                out_bestunit = NPY_DATETIMEUNIT.NPY_FR_ns
+
+            if out_bestunit == NPY_DATETIMEUNIT.NPY_FR_ns:
+                # TODO: avoid circular import
+                from pandas import Timestamp
+                parsed = Timestamp(date_string)
             else:
-                tz = None
-            parsed = datetime_new(
-                dts.year, dts.month, dts.day, dts.hour, dts.min, dts.sec, dts.us, tz
-            )
+                if out_local:
+                    tz = timezone(timedelta(minutes=out_tzoffset))
+                else:
+                    tz = None
+                parsed = datetime_new(
+                    dts.year, dts.month, dts.day, dts.hour, dts.min, dts.sec, dts.us, tz
+                )
 
-        reso = npy_unit_to_attrname[out_bestunit]
-        return parsed, reso
+            reso = npy_unit_to_attrname[out_bestunit]
+            return parsed, reso
 
     parsed = _parse_delimited_date(date_string, dayfirst, &out_bestunit)
     if parsed is not None:
diff --git a/pandas/core/generic.py b/pandas/core/generic.py
index fc9821a657..5913532e28 100644
--- a/pandas/core/generic.py
+++ b/pandas/core/generic.py
@@ -12481,6 +12481,14 @@ _min_examples: str = _shared_docs["stat_func_example"].format(
     stat_func="min", verb="Min", default_output=0, level_output_0=2, level_output_1=0
 )
 
+_skew_see_also = """
+
+See Also
+--------
+Series.skew : Return unbiased skew over requested axis.
+Series.var : Return unbiased variance over requested axis.
+Series.std : Return unbiased standard deviation over requested axis."""
+
 _stat_func_see_also = """
 
 See Also
@@ -12740,7 +12748,7 @@ def make_doc(name: str, ndim: int) -> str:
     elif name == "skew":
         base_doc = _num_doc
         desc = "Return unbiased skew over requested axis.\n\nNormalized by N-1."
-        see_also = ""
+        see_also = _skew_see_also
         examples = """
 
             Examples
diff --git a/pandas/core/groupby/grouper.py b/pandas/core/groupby/grouper.py
index 5f680de776..5f9ebdcea4 100644
--- a/pandas/core/groupby/grouper.py
+++ b/pandas/core/groupby/grouper.py
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ class Grouper:
         Currently unused, reserved for future use.
     **kwargs
         Dictionary of the keyword arguments to pass to Grouper.
+
+    Attributes
+    ----------
     key : str, defaults to None
         Groupby key, which selects the grouping column of the target.
     level : name/number, defaults to None
diff --git a/pandas/core/indexes/base.py b/pandas/core/indexes/base.py
index 7d43498d42..5bffac5fa6 100644
--- a/pandas/core/indexes/base.py
+++ b/pandas/core/indexes/base.py
@@ -7473,9 +7473,12 @@ def ensure_index_from_sequences(sequences, names=None) -> Index:
     --------
     ensure_index
     """
+    from pandas.core.indexes.api import default_index
     from pandas.core.indexes.multi import MultiIndex
 
-    if len(sequences) == 1:
+    if len(sequences) == 0:
+        return default_index(0)
+    elif len(sequences) == 1:
         if names is not None:
             names = names[0]
         return Index(maybe_sequence_to_range(sequences[0]), name=names)
diff --git a/pandas/core/indexes/multi.py b/pandas/core/indexes/multi.py
index 19c94fa410..ee24e485a9 100644
--- a/pandas/core/indexes/multi.py
+++ b/pandas/core/indexes/multi.py
@@ -2316,16 +2316,32 @@ class MultiIndex(Index):
         """
         Make a new :class:`pandas.MultiIndex` with the passed list of codes deleted.
 
+        This method allows for the removal of specified labels from a MultiIndex.
+        The labels to be removed can be provided as a list of tuples if no level
+        is specified, or as a list of labels from a specific level if the level
+        parameter is provided. This can be useful for refining the structure of a
+        MultiIndex to fit specific requirements.
+
         Parameters
         ----------
         codes : array-like
             Must be a list of tuples when ``level`` is not specified.
         level : int or level name, default None
+            Level from which the labels will be dropped.
         errors : str, default 'raise'
+            If 'ignore', suppress error and existing labels are dropped.
 
         Returns
         -------
         MultiIndex
+            A new MultiIndex with the specified labels removed.
+
+        See Also
+        --------
+        MultiIndex.remove_unused_levels : Create new MultiIndex from current that
+            removes unused levels.
+        MultiIndex.reorder_levels : Rearrange levels using input order.
+        MultiIndex.rename : Rename levels in a MultiIndex.
 
         Examples
         --------
diff --git a/pandas/core/series.py b/pandas/core/series.py
index 184c774d04..9209a80ada 100644
--- a/pandas/core/series.py
+++ b/pandas/core/series.py
@@ -1712,6 +1712,12 @@ class Series(base.IndexOpsMixin, NDFrame):  # type: ignore[misc]
         collections.abc.MutableMapping
             Key-value representation of Series.
 
+        See Also
+        --------
+        Series.to_list: Converts Series to a list of the values.
+        Series.to_numpy: Converts Series to NumPy ndarray.
+        Series.array: ExtensionArray of the data backing this Series.
+
         Examples
         --------
         >>> s = pd.Series([1, 2, 3, 4])
@@ -1749,6 +1755,10 @@ class Series(base.IndexOpsMixin, NDFrame):  # type: ignore[misc]
         DataFrame
             DataFrame representation of Series.
 
+        See Also
+        --------
+        Series.to_dict : Convert Series to dict object.
+
         Examples
         --------
         >>> s = pd.Series(["a", "b", "c"], name="vals")


Test patch:
diff --git a/pandas/tests/frame/constructors/test_from_records.py b/pandas/tests/frame/constructors/test_from_records.py
index 5be42d41af..ed2f0aa9c4 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/frame/constructors/test_from_records.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/frame/constructors/test_from_records.py
@@ -148,6 +148,12 @@ class TestFromRecords:
         assert len(result) == 0
         assert len(result.columns) == 0
 
+    def test_from_records_sequencelike_empty_index(self):
+        result = DataFrame.from_records([], index=[])
+        assert len(result) == 0
+        assert len(result.columns) == 0
+        assert len(result.index) == 0
+
     def test_from_records_dictlike(self):
         # test the dict methods
         df = DataFrame(
diff --git a/pandas/tests/tools/test_to_datetime.py b/pandas/tests/tools/test_to_datetime.py
index c1d6baaf17..3a47d87286 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/tools/test_to_datetime.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/tools/test_to_datetime.py
@@ -2988,6 +2988,8 @@ class TestDatetimeParsingWrappers:
             ("20/12/21", True, False, datetime(2021, 12, 20)),
             ("20/12/21", False, True, datetime(2020, 12, 21)),
             ("20/12/21", True, True, datetime(2020, 12, 21)),
+            # GH 58859
+            ("20201012", True, False, datetime(2020, 12, 10)),
         ],
     )
     def test_parsers_dayfirst_yearfirst(