Converting a String to DateTime

Question

How do you convert a string such as 2009-05-08 14:40:52,531 into a DateTime?

Solution 1

Since you are handling 24-hour based time and you have a comma separating the seconds fraction, I recommend that you specify a custom format:

DateTime myDate = DateTime.ParseExact("2009-05-08 14:40:52,531", "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss,fff",
                                       System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

Solution 2

You have basically two options for this. DateTime.Parse() and DateTime.ParseExact().

The first is very forgiving in terms of syntax and will parse dates in many different formats. It is good for user input which may come in different formats.

ParseExact will allow you to specify the exact format of your date string to use for parsing. It is good to use this if your string is always in the same format. This way, you can easily detect any deviations from the expected data.

You can parse user input like this:

DateTime enteredDate = DateTime.Parse(enteredString);

If you have a specific format for the string, you should use the other method:

DateTime loadedDate = DateTime.ParseExact(loadedString, "d", null);

"d" stands for the short date pattern (see MSDN for more info) and null specifies that the current culture should be used for parsing the string.

Solution 3

try this

DateTime myDate = DateTime.Parse(dateString);

a better way would be this:

DateTime myDate;
if (!DateTime.TryParse(dateString, out myDate))
{
    // handle parse failure
}

Solution 4

Use DateTime.Parse(string):

DateTime dateTime = DateTime.Parse(dateTimeStr);

Solution 5

Nobody seems to implemented an extension method. With the help of @CMS's answer:

Working and improved full source example is here: Gist Link

namespace ExtensionMethods {
    using System;
    using System.Globalization;

    public static class DateTimeExtensions {
        public static DateTime ToDateTime(this string s, 
                  string format = "ddMMyyyy", string cultureString = "tr-TR") {
            try {
                var r = DateTime.ParseExact(
                    s: s,
                    format: format,
                    provider: CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo(cultureString));
                return r;
            } catch (FormatException) {
                throw;
            } catch (CultureNotFoundException) {
                throw; // Given Culture is not supported culture
            }
        }

        public static DateTime ToDateTime(this string s, 
                    string format, CultureInfo culture) {
            try {
                var r = DateTime.ParseExact(s: s, format: format, 
                                        provider: culture);
                return r;
            } catch (FormatException) {
                throw;
            } catch (CultureNotFoundException) {
                throw; // Given Culture is not supported culture
            }

        }

    }
}

namespace SO {
    using ExtensionMethods;
    using System;
    using System.Globalization;

    class Program {
        static void Main(string[] args) {
            var mydate = "29021996";
            var date = mydate.ToDateTime(format: "ddMMyyyy"); // {29.02.1996 00:00:00}

            mydate = "2016 3";
            date = mydate.ToDateTime("yyyy M"); // {01.03.2016 00:00:00}

            mydate = "2016 12";
            date = mydate.ToDateTime("yyyy d"); // {12.01.2016 00:00:00}

            mydate = "2016/31/05 13:33";
            date = mydate.ToDateTime("yyyy/d/M HH:mm"); // {31.05.2016 13:33:00}

            mydate = "2016/31 Ocak";
            date = mydate.ToDateTime("yyyy/d MMMM"); // {31.01.2016 00:00:00}

            mydate = "2016/31 January";
            date = mydate.ToDateTime("yyyy/d MMMM", cultureString: "en-US"); 
            // {31.01.2016 00:00:00}

            mydate = "11/شعبان/1437";
            date = mydate.ToDateTime(
                culture: CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo("ar-SA"),
                format: "dd/MMMM/yyyy"); 
         // Weird :) I supposed dd/yyyy/MMMM but that did not work !?$^&*

            System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(
               date.Equals(new DateTime(year: 2016, month: 5, day: 18)));
        }
    }
}

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Comments

[lc.]

(I think you meant to use a comma in the date and format strings, though, right?)

[hamish]

It is only a comma because of the OPs European Locale setting, what if you take that code to another server with a US.Locale, then the fractions of a section will be a decimal not a comma on the saved string, and your solution will break. Make sure you add a check for the type of incoming datetime string for its correct Locale before applying the correct parser. I'm surprised that Microsoft doesn't already have this code prebuild somewhere else in the CLR or C#.net

[Badhon Jain]

You missed the time part? I need both date & time, How can I do that?

[Vinod Kumar]

unable to convert this to date time string MyString = "06/22/1916 3:20:14 PM";

[T.Todua]

No one mentioned that it only works with that particular format.

[jpaugh]

24-hour time and comma as a decimal separator is not a custom locale. It shouldn't need to be handled specially.

[Krishna]

Pity... 🙂 Coders always think fellow coders will figure out... Good thing actually... Make us think more...

[Yousha Aleayoub]

Nobody seems to implemented an extension method maybe because not needed...

[guneysus]

Sometimes standart library does not fit our needs. And this is why need/use helper libraries. Using the extension method way, or fluent API ise kinda prefering FP over OOP or vice versa. Neither correct nor wrong. It is choice. @YoushaAleayoub

[Birhan Nega]

Looks better, can assign its value to the DateTime variable?

[esnezz]

Under the hood Convert.ToDateTime simply calls DateTime.Parse