How can I parse this datetime string?

Question

I can't figure it out, where did I go wrong?

I got the following datetime string, and need to parse it to datetime:

string timestr = "1/20/2014 12:05:16 AM"

And I trying to parse it like this:

DateTime.ParseExact( timestr,
                     "MM/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt",
                     null);

When trying to do this it returns

"string was not recognized as a valid DateTime"

Any tip?

Soner Gönül · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-15T11:26:22.317

MM is for 01 to 12

Use M instead which is for 1 to 12.

string timestr = "1/20/2014 12:05:16 AM";
var date = DateTime.ParseExact(timestr,
                               "M/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt",
                               CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
Console.WriteLine(date);

Output will be;

1/20/2014 12:05:16 AM

Here a demonstration.

For more information, take a look at;

Custom Date and Time Format Strings

Also be careful about your hour formatting. hh is for 01 to 12, HH is for 00 to 23. If your hour will be 13, 14 or 15 etc.. hh format will fail.

And since you using null as a IFormatProvider in your DateTime.ParseExact method, that means it uses CurrentCulture by default. And if it's DateSeparator is not /, your method throws FormatException even your string and format matches exactly because "/" format specifier has a special meaning in custom date and time formats like; replace me current culture's or suplied culture date separator

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 20 '14 at 09:02

0

Did you try

 DateTime returnedDate = new DateTime();
 DateTime.TryParse(timestr, out returnedDate);

answered Jan 20 '14 at 09:02

Mohamed Salah

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10
40

If OP's `CurrentCulture` doesn't accept `M/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt` as a standard date and time pattern, your `DateTime.TryParse` returns `false` and your `returnedDate` will be `01/01/0001 00:00:00`. – Soner Gönül Aug 29 '14 at 07:45

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 20 '14 at 09:08

M-The month, from 1 through 12.

The "M" custom format specifier represents the month as a number from 1 through 12 (or from 1 through 13 for calendars that have 13 months). A single-digit month is formatted without a leading zero.

DateTime.ParseExact( timestr,"M/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt",CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

Msdn

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Jan 20 '14 at 09:34

0

PLease try

string timestr = "1/20/2014 12:05:16 AM";
DateTime dt = new DateTime();
DateTime.TryParse(timestr, out dt);

edited Jan 20 '14 at 09:34

Soner Gönül

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answered Jan 20 '14 at 09:17

rajeev.harbola

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Please don't just post code, please explain to the user what the code does so they can learn from it, as is the reason they have come to stackoverflow – Simon McLoughlin Jan 20 '14 at 09:42
1

You don't _have to_ initialize `out parameter` by the way. `DateTime dt;` will be enough. – Soner Gönül Jan 20 '14 at 11:09
If OP's `CurrentCulture` doesn't accept `M/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt` as a standard date and time pattern, your `DateTime.TryParse` returns `false` and your `dt` will be `01/01/0001 00:00:00`. – Soner Gönül Aug 29 '14 at 07:44

score -2 · Answer 5 · edited Jan 20 '14 at 09:35

-2

Try this one:

this.RequestDate = Convert.ToDateTime(this.DcmCreateDate).ToString("dd/MM/yyyy");

edited Jan 20 '14 at 09:35

Soner Gönül

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answered Jan 20 '14 at 09:01

codelikeprogrammerwoman

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How can I parse this datetime string?

5 Answers5