Why converting from string to DateTime is failing in C#?

Question

I have a string like this and I want to convert it to DateTime format(MM/dd/yyyyTHH:mm:ss). but it fails, Please let me know where I'm wrong.

Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = new CultureInfo("en-US");

string stime = "4/17/2014T12:00:00";
DateTime dt = DateTime.ParseExact(stime, "MM/dd/yyyyTHH:mm:ss", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

This is the code, how I'm setting this string:

string startHH = DropDownList1.SelectedItem.Text;
string startMM = DropDownList2.SelectedItem.Text;
string startSS = DropDownList3.SelectedItem.Text;
string starttime = startHH + ":" + startMM + ":" + startSS;
string stime = StartDateTextBox.Text + "T" + starttime;

Getting this exception

String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.

Since you parse exact then MM is expecting a two digit month where as you string only has 4. '04/17...' would had worked — Quintium
– Quintium, Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 19:03
Why using the ISO 8601 T delimiter with incompatible date format ? This is rather misleading. — Nicolas Repiquet
– Nicolas Repiquet, Commented Apr 2, 2014 at 19:09

mason · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-02 19:10:08Z

2

You wrote MM in your format string, which means that you need a two digit month. If you want a one digit month, just use M.

DateTime dt = DateTime.ParseExact(stime, "M/dd/yyyyTHH:mm:ss", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

The other solution is to change your string to match your format.

string stime = "04/17/2014T12:00:00";
DateTime dt = DateTime.ParseExact(stime, "MM/dd/yyyyTHH:mm:ss", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

The key to this is remembering you're doing parse exact. Therefore, you must exactly match your string with your format.

edited Apr 2, 2014 at 19:10

answered Apr 2, 2014 at 19:04

mason

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Comments

Sudhakar Tillapudi · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-02 19:02:28Z

1

Problem : in your date string 4/17/2014T12:00:00 you have only single digit Month value (4) but in your DateFormat string you mentione double MM

Solution : you should specify single M instead of double MM

Try This:

DateTime dt = DateTime.ParseExact(stime, "M/dd/yyyyTHH:mm:ss", 
                              CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

answered Apr 2, 2014 at 19:02

Sudhakar Tillapudi

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Sergey Metlov · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-02 19:04:43Z

0

Pay attention your date string contains only 1 digit for month but your patters defines MM.
So either use month 04 or change pattern to M.

answered Apr 2, 2014 at 19:04

Sergey Metlov

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