Converting String to DateTime results in error

Question

Possible Duplicate:
DateTime.ParseExact string format exception

FormatException was found !

I tried to convert a string to DateTime.

string dateString1 = "5/22/1985 12:00:00 AM";

DateTime myDate = 
    DateTime.ParseExact(dateString1, 
                        "mm-dd-yyyy",
                        System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

It gives me an error, but when I try to convert a string in this format

string dateString2 = "10-10-2000";

This second string is working just fine but the dateString1 does not work!

I have edited your title. Please see, "[Should questions include “tags” in their titles?](http://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/19190/)", where the consensus is "no, they should not". — John Saunders, Jan 23 '13 at 20:09
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2000580/datetime-parseexact-string-format-exception — MUG4N, Jan 23 '13 at 20:10
"mm" in `DateTime` format strings means **minutes**, not months. — Dour High Arch, Jan 23 '13 at 20:14

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 23 '13 at 20:11

Your code answers your question. You're using ParseExact, which was given a format that won't accept your first string.

From the MSDN (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/w2sa9yss.aspx):

Converts the specified string representation of a date and time to its DateTime equivalent using the specified format and culture-specific format information. The format of the string representation must match the specified format exactly.

kopaty4 · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-23T20:19:12.413

1

Try this:

DateTime myDate = DateTime.ParseExact(dateString1, "M/d/yyyy h:m:s tt", System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

edited Jan 23 '13 at 20:19

answered Jan 23 '13 at 20:13

kopaty4

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 23 '13 at 20:13

0

You're specifically making your code parse the date exactly according to the format "mm-dd-yyyy", so of course only a date with that format will work. If you use DateTime.Parse instead, both examples will work.

answered Jan 23 '13 at 20:13

Yandros

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Thanks ! I realize that now , thanks for the tips. It is the first time I use DateTime, I'm stil learning :) – xargs Jan 23 '13 at 20:37

chris_dotnet · Answer 4 · 2013-01-23T20:29:09.977

0

You could use Parse instead of ParseExact:

DateTime myDate = DateTime.Parse(dateString1);

This should correctly parse either of your two examples. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/1k1skd40.aspx

edited Jan 23 '13 at 20:29

answered Jan 23 '13 at 20:17

chris_dotnet

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its not working DateTime myDate = DateTime.Parse("5/22/1985 12:00:00 AM") – xargs Jan 23 '13 at 21:14

Converting String to DateTime results in error

4 Answers4