Converting odd format to [datetime] in powershell

Question

I'm writing something to get the installation date for a certain program, but I can't seem to convert the number that is returned into a weird date format (yyyyMMdd). I've tried casting it to [datetime], but that returns the error below.

This may be an easy fix, but it's something I haven't run across yet. Can someone please help?

Thanks in advance!

$test = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq 'exampleProgram'} | select installdate

[datetime]$test.installdate
Cannot convert value "20160628" to type "System.DateTime". Error: "String was not recognized as a valid DateTime."
At line:1 char:1
+ [datetime]$test.installdate
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], RuntimeException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidCastParseTargetInvocationWithFormatProvider`

Micky Balladelli · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-22 21:06:27Z

2

Given your date "20160628" Try:

[datetime]::ParseExact($Date,"yyyyMMdd",$null)

and you get:

Tuesday, June 28, 2016 12:00:00 AM

edited Aug 22, 2016 at 21:06

answered Aug 22, 2016 at 20:53

Micky Balladelli

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4 Comments

Austin T French Over a year ago

You barely beat me to it! But out of curiosity, why pass $null instead of defining a CultureInfo?

Micky Balladelli Over a year ago

$null means current culture (from the doc: "If provider is null, the CultureInfo object that corresponds to the current culture is used."

Austin T French Over a year ago

Looking at MSDN further, it appears None is the default, behind the scenes it sets it to Invariant as well.

Micky Balladelli Over a year ago

indeed, I guess it's a faster way than entering [System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture :)

Austin T French · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-22 21:18:46Z

2

You'll need to parse the date to a variable using invariant cultureInfo and a custom format:

$DateTimeVariable = [DateTime]::ParseExact("20160628", "yyyyMMdd", System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture)

or

$DateTimeVariable = [DateTime]::ParseExact($test.installdate, "yyyyMMdd", System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture)

edited Aug 22, 2016 at 21:18

answered Aug 22, 2016 at 20:53

Austin T French

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