String was not recognized as a valid DateTime when converting to DateTime

Question

I'm trying to convert a string to DateTime and then insert it to sql. In my local computer all works fine, but on the server the application throws an exception:

String was not recognized as a valid DateTime

I use Textboxs to create a datetime object like this:

enter image description here

I'm using this line to build the date:

start = startEventTB.Text + " " + ShourDD.SelectedValue + ":" + SminuteDD.SelectedValue;
        end = endEventTB.Text + " " + EhourDD.SelectedValue + ":" + EminuteDD.SelectedValue;

and then convert it

This is the code after the button click:

 act_event add_event = new act_event();
        string start, end;
        DateTime strt_date = new DateTime();
        DateTime end_date = new DateTime();

        add_event.name = name_event.Text;

        start = startEventTB.Text + " " + ShourDD.SelectedValue + ":" + SminuteDD.SelectedValue;
        end = endEventTB.Text + " " + EhourDD.SelectedValue + ":" + EminuteDD.SelectedValue;

        strt_date = Convert.ToDateTime(start); //This is the line that throws the error
        add_event.start = strt_date;



        end_date = Convert.ToDateTime(end);
        add_event.end = end_date;

        add_event.description = des_event.Text;

        add_event.address = loc_event.Text;


        db.add_event(add_event);

Then I get this:

enter image description here

And this is why you use date pickers instead of text... – Jon Skeet Jul 30 '13 at 17:15 — Jon Skeet, Jul 30 '13 at 17:15

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

2

The problem you are having most likely links to formatting issues. Since DateTime has a lot of different ways it can be formatted, the Convert.ToDateTime( ... ) is probably using a format that is different from your hour\minute format.

Try using DateTime.Parse \ DateTime.TryParse \ DateTime.ParseExact

See:

See Custom Date and Time Format Strings for formatting strings

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

1
1

answered Jul 30 '13 at 17:14

jrbeverly

1,611
14
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I just can't convert the datepicker text to Datetime, no matter if I use ConvertTo, Parse, ParseExact. it just throws error. That's annoying : \ – Dvirski Jul 30 '13 at 17:55
What is the string text from the datepicker? – jrbeverly Jul 30 '13 at 17:55
You can see it in the picture above – Dvirski Jul 30 '13 at 17:56
The string `31/07/2013` is parsed by `DateTime sample = DateTime.ParseExact("31/07/2013", "dd/MM/yyyy", null);` on my environment – jrbeverly Jul 30 '13 at 17:59
`DateTime sample = DateTime.ParseExact("31/07/2013 8:15", "dd/MM/yyyy h:m", null);` also works – jrbeverly Jul 30 '13 at 18:01

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 30 '13 at 17:32

0

It's probably a formatting\localization issue, different machines may be set to different locales and expect the dates to written differently.
I think you're getting yourself into unneeded trouble. Why create the string in the first place only to parse it later? Wouldn't it be easier to do something like -

date = new DateTime(date.year, date.month, date.day, HH, MM, SS);

with the data from the controls?

answered Jul 30 '13 at 17:32

Vadim

2,847
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I just can't convert the datepicker text to Datetime, no matter if I use ConvertTo, Parse, ParseExact. it just throws error. That's annoying : \ – Dvirski Jul 30 '13 at 17:54

String was not recognized as a valid DateTime when converting to DateTime

2 Answers2