Set date time picker from a string (date and time)

Question

I have a datetime picker. I want to read the data from a string which looks like this:

27/11/2014 17:35:59

what is the best way to set the value of the datetime picker?

A code example will be appreciated.

Solution 1

        string pattern = "dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm:ss";
        DateTime parsedDate;

        string dateValue = "27/11/2014 17:35:59";
        if (DateTime.TryParseExact(dateValue, pattern, null,
                                  DateTimeStyles.None, out parsedDate))
        {
            MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Converted '{0}' to {1:d}.", dateValue, parsedDate));
        }
        else
        {
            MessageBox.Show(string.Format("Unable to convert '{0}' to a date and time.",
                              dateValue));
        }

Solution 2

I Assume you are asking about Winform control "DateTimePicker".

We can set desired format by browsing Properties for DateTimePicker Object. Screenshot attached for easy reference.

Solution 3

DateTime.Parse

DateTime.Parse supports many formats. It is versatile. It can provoke a FormatException.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Taken from my head
        string simpleTime = "1/1/2000";
        DateTime time = DateTime.Parse(simpleTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from HTTP header
        string httpTime = "Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:11:21 GMT";
        time = DateTime.Parse(httpTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from w3.org
        string w3Time = "2009/02/26 18:37:58";
        time = DateTime.Parse(w3Time);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from nytimes.com
        string nyTime = "Thursday, February 26, 2009";
        time = DateTime.Parse(nyTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from this site
        string perlTime = "February 26, 2009";
        time = DateTime.Parse(perlTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from ISO Standard 8601 for Dates
        string isoTime = "2002-02-10";
        time = DateTime.Parse(isoTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from Windows file system Created/Modified
        string windowsTime = "2/21/2009 10:35 PM";
        time = DateTime.Parse(windowsTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);

        // Taken from Windows Date and Time panel
        string windowsPanelTime = "8:04:00 PM";
        time = DateTime.Parse(windowsPanelTime);
        Console.WriteLine(time);
    }
}

Output

1/1/2000 12:00:00 AM
2/26/2009 7:11:21 PM
2/26/2009 6:37:58 PM
2/26/2009 12:00:00 AM
2/26/2009 12:00:00 AM
2/10/2002 12:00:00 AM
2/21/2009 10:35:00 PM
2/26/2009 8:04:00 PM

DateTime.ParseExact

You must specify the exact formatting string for DateTime.ParseExact. You need to use a format string that has letters in it that tell ParseExact where to read in the values from your string.

using System;
using System.Globalization;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
    string dateString = "Mon 16 Jun 8:30 AM 2008"; // Modified from MSDN
    string format = "ddd dd MMM h:mm tt yyyy";

    DateTime dateTime = DateTime.ParseExact(dateString, format,
    CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
    Console.WriteLine(dateTime);
    }
}

Output

6/16/2008 8:30:00 AM

Solution 4

You can use DateTime.Parse or DateTime.ParseExact to turn a string into a DateTime object. Your DateTime picker should support this type.

Solution 5

use this:

dateTimePicker.Value = DateTime.ParseExact("dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm:ss", 
   dateTimeString, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

View more solutions