I have two DateTime vars, beginTime and endTime. I have gotten the difference of them by doing the following:
TimeSpan dateDifference = endTime.Subtract(beginTime);
How can I now return a string of this in hh hrs, mm mins, ss secs format using C#.
If the difference was 00:06:32.4458750
It should return this 00 hrs, 06 mins, 32 secs
I just built a few TimeSpan Extension methods. Thought I could share:
public static string ToReadableAgeString(this TimeSpan span)
{
return string.Format("{0:0}", span.Days / 365.25);
}
public static string ToReadableString(this TimeSpan span)
{
string formatted = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}{3}",
span.Duration().Days > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} day{1}, ", span.Days, span.Days == 1 ? string.Empty : "s") : string.Empty,
span.Duration().Hours > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} hour{1}, ", span.Hours, span.Hours == 1 ? string.Empty : "s") : string.Empty,
span.Duration().Minutes > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} minute{1}, ", span.Minutes, span.Minutes == 1 ? string.Empty : "s") : string.Empty,
span.Duration().Seconds > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} second{1}", span.Seconds, span.Seconds == 1 ? string.Empty : "s") : string.Empty);
if (formatted.EndsWith(", ")) formatted = formatted.Substring(0, formatted.Length - 2);
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(formatted)) formatted = "0 seconds";
return formatted;
}
By converting it to a datetime, you can get localized formats:
new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm");
This is the shortest solution.
timeSpan.ToString(@"hh\:mm");
Would TimeSpan.ToString() do the trick for you? If not, it looks like the code sample on that page describes how to do custom formatting of a TimeSpan object.
Use String.Format() with multiple parameters.
using System;
namespace TimeSpanFormat
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
TimeSpan dateDifference = new TimeSpan(0, 0, 6, 32, 445);
string formattedTimeSpan = string.Format("{0:D2} hrs, {1:D2} mins, {2:D2} secs", dateDifference.Hours, dateDifference.Minutes, dateDifference.Seconds);
Console.WriteLine(formattedTimeSpan);
}
}
}
public static class TimeSpanFormattingExtensions
{
public static string ToReadableString(this TimeSpan span)
{
return string.Join(", ", span.GetReadableStringElements()
.Where(str => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(str)));
}
private static IEnumerable<string> GetReadableStringElements(this TimeSpan span)
{
yield return GetDaysString((int)Math.Floor(span.TotalDays));
yield return GetHoursString(span.Hours);
yield return GetMinutesString(span.Minutes);
yield return GetSecondsString(span.Seconds);
}
private static string GetDaysString(int days)
{
if (days == 0)
return string.Empty;
if (days == 1)
return "1 day";
return string.Format("{0:0} days", days);
}
private static string GetHoursString(int hours)
{
if (hours == 0)
return string.Empty;
if (hours == 1)
return "1 hour";
return string.Format("{0:0} hours", hours);
}
private static string GetMinutesString(int minutes)
{
if (minutes == 0)
return string.Empty;
if (minutes == 1)
return "1 minute";
return string.Format("{0:0} minutes", minutes);
}
private static string GetSecondsString(int seconds)
{
if (seconds == 0)
return string.Empty;
if (seconds == 1)
return "1 second";
return string.Format("{0:0} seconds", seconds);
}
}
The easiest way to format a TimeSpan is to add it to a DateTime and format that:
string formatted = (DateTime.Today + dateDifference).ToString("HH 'hrs' mm 'mins' ss 'secs'");
This works as long as the time difference is not more than 24 hours.
The Today property returns a DateTime value where the time component is zero, so the time component of the result is the TimeSpan value.
According to the Microsoft documentation, the TimeSpan structure exposes Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Milliseconds as integer members. Maybe you want something like:
dateDifference.Hours.ToString() + " hrs, " + dateDifference.Minutes.ToString() + " mins, " + dateDifference.Seconds.ToString() + " secs"
You can use the following code.
public static class TimeSpanExtensions
{
public static String Verbose(this TimeSpan timeSpan)
{
var hours = timeSpan.Hours;
var minutes = timeSpan.Minutes;
if (hours > 0) return String.Format("{0} hours {1} minutes", hours, minutes);
return String.Format("{0} minutes", minutes);
}
}
Thanks to Peter for the extension method. I modified it to work with longer time spans better:
namespace ExtensionMethods
{
public static class TimeSpanExtensionMethods
{
public static string ToReadableString(this TimeSpan span)
{
string formatted = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}",
(span.Days / 7) > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} weeks, ", span.Days / 7) : string.Empty,
span.Days % 7 > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} days, ", span.Days % 7) : string.Empty,
span.Hours > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} hours, ", span.Hours) : string.Empty);
if (formatted.EndsWith(", ")) formatted = formatted.Substring(0, formatted.Length - 2);
return formatted;
}
}
}
I know this question is older but .Net 4 now has support for Custom TimeSpan formats.
Also I know it's been mentioned but it caught me out, converting Ticks to DateTime works but doesn't properly handle more than a 24 hour span.
new DateTime((DateTime.Now - DateTime.Now.AddHours(-25)).Ticks).ToString("HH:mm")
That will get you 01:00 not 25:00 as you might expect.
I also had a similar issue and came up with my own extension but it seems to be a bit different than everything else.
public static string TimeSpanToString(this TimeSpan timeSpan)
{
//if it's negative
if (timeSpan.Ticks < 0)
{
timeSpan = timeSpan - timeSpan - timeSpan;
if (timeSpan.Days != 0)
return string.Format("-{0}:{1}", timeSpan.Days.ToString("d"), new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm:ss"));
else
return new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("-HH:mm:ss");
}
//if it has days
else if (timeSpan.Days != 0)
return string.Format("{0}:{1}", timeSpan.Days.ToString("d"), new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm:ss"));
//otherwise return the time
else
return new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm:ss");
}
I know this is a late answer but this works for me:
TimeSpan dateDifference = new TimeSpan(0,0,0, (int)endTime.Subtract(beginTime).TotalSeconds);
dateDifference should now exclude the parts smaller than a second. Works in .net 2.0 too.
''' <summary>
''' Return specified Double # (NumDbl) as String using specified Number Format String (FormatStr,
''' Default = "N0") and Format Provider (FmtProvider, Default = Nothing) followed by space and,
''' if NumDbl = 1, the specified Singular Unit Name (SglUnitStr), else the Plural Unit Name
''' (PluralUnitStr).
''' </summary>
''' <param name="NumDbl"></param>
''' <param name="SglUnitStr"></param>
''' <param name="PluralUnitStr"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function PluralizeUnitsStr( _
ByVal NumDbl As Double, _
ByVal SglUnitStr As String, _
ByVal PluralUnitStr As String, _
Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
) As String
PluralizeUnitsStr = NumDbl.ToString(FormatStr, FmtProvider) & " "
Dim RsltUnitStr As String
If NumDbl = 1 Then
RsltUnitStr = SglUnitStr
Else
RsltUnitStr = PluralUnitStr
End If
PluralizeUnitsStr &= RsltUnitStr
End Function
''' <summary>
''' Info about a # Unit.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Class clsNumUnitInfoItem
''' <summary>
''' Name of a Singular Unit (i.e. "day", "trillion", "foot")
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public UnitSglStr As String
''' <summary>
''' Name of a Plural Unit (i.e. "days", "trillion", "feet")
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public UnitPluralStr As String
''' <summary>
''' # of Units to = 1 of Next Higher (aka Parent) Unit (i.e. 24 "hours", 1000 "million",
''' 5280 "feet")
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public UnitsInParentInt As Integer
End Class ' -- clsNumUnitInfoItem
Dim TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem() = { _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "day", .UnitPluralStr = "days", .UnitsInParentInt = 1}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "hour", .UnitPluralStr = "hours", .UnitsInParentInt = 24}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "minute", .UnitPluralStr = "minutes", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "second", .UnitPluralStr = "seconds", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "millisecond", .UnitPluralStr = "milliseconds", .UnitsInParentInt = 1000} _
} ' -- Dim TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms
Dim TimeShortEnUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem() = { _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "day", .UnitPluralStr = "days", .UnitsInParentInt = 1}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "hr", .UnitPluralStr = "hrs", .UnitsInParentInt = 24}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "min", .UnitPluralStr = "mins", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "sec", .UnitPluralStr = "secs", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "msec", .UnitPluralStr = "msecs", .UnitsInParentInt = 1000} _
} ' -- Dim TimeShortEnUnitInfoItms
''' <summary>
''' Convert a specified Double Number (NumDbl) to a long (aka verbose) format (i.e. "1 day,
''' 2 hours, 3 minutes, 4 seconds and 567 milliseconds") with a specified Array of Time Unit
''' Info Items (TimeUnitInfoItms), Conjunction (ConjStr, Default = "and"), Minimum Unit Level
''' Shown (MinUnitLevInt) (0 to TimeUnitInfoItms.Length - 1, -1=All), Maximum Unit Level Shown
''' (MaxUnitLevInt) (-1=All), Maximum # of Unit Levels Shown (MaxNumUnitLevsInt) (1 to 0 to
''' TimeUnitInfoItms.Length - 1, 0=All) and Round Last Shown Units Up Flag (RoundUpBool).
''' Suppress leading 0 Unit Levels.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="NumDbl"></param>
''' <param name="NumUnitInfoItms"></param>
''' <param name="ConjStr"></param>
''' <param name="MinUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxNumUnitLevsInt"></param>
''' <param name="RoundUpBool"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function NumToLongStr( _
ByVal NumDbl As Double, _
ByVal NumUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem(), _
Optional ByVal ConjStr As String = "and", _
Optional ByVal MinUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
Optional ByVal MaxUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
Optional ByVal MaxNumUnitLevsInt As Integer = 0, _
Optional ByVal RoundUpBool As Boolean = False, _
Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
) As String
NumToLongStr = ""
Const TUnitDelimStr As String = ", "
If (MinUnitLevInt < -1) OrElse (MinUnitLevInt >= NumUnitInfoItms.Length) Then
Throw New Exception("Invalid MinUnitLevInt: " & MaxUnitLevInt)
End If
If (MaxUnitLevInt < -1) OrElse (MaxUnitLevInt >= NumUnitInfoItms.Length) Then
Throw New Exception("Invalid MaxDetailLevelInt: " & MaxUnitLevInt)
End If
If (MaxNumUnitLevsInt < 0) OrElse (MaxNumUnitLevsInt > NumUnitInfoItms.Length) Then
Throw New Exception("Invalid MaxNumUnitLevsInt: " & MaxNumUnitLevsInt)
End If
Dim PrevNumUnitsDbl As Double = NumDbl
Dim CurrUnitLevInt As Integer = -1
Dim NumUnitLevsShownInt As Integer = 0
For Each UnitInfoItem In NumUnitInfoItms
CurrUnitLevInt += 1
With UnitInfoItem
Dim CurrNumUnitsDbl As Double = PrevNumUnitsDbl * .UnitsInParentInt
Dim CurrTruncNumUnitsInt As Integer = Math.Truncate(CurrNumUnitsDbl)
PrevNumUnitsDbl = CurrNumUnitsDbl
If CurrUnitLevInt < MinUnitLevInt Then Continue For
PrevNumUnitsDbl -= CurrTruncNumUnitsInt
'If (CurrUnitLevInt > TimeUnitInfoItms.Length) _
' OrElse _
' ( _
' (CurrUnitLevInt > MaxUnitLevInt) AndAlso _
' (MaxUnitLevInt <> -1) _
' ) _
' OrElse _
' ( _
' (NumUnitLevsShownInt + 1 > MaxNumUnitLevsInt) AndAlso _
' (MaxNumUnitLevsInt <> 0) _
' ) Then Exit For
If (CurrUnitLevInt = (NumUnitInfoItms.Length - 1)) OrElse _
(CurrUnitLevInt = MaxUnitLevInt) OrElse _
((NumUnitLevsShownInt + 1) = MaxNumUnitLevsInt) Then
If NumUnitLevsShownInt > 0 Then
Dim TUnitDelimStrLenInt As Integer = TUnitDelimStr.Length
NumToLongStr = NumToLongStr.Remove( _
NumToLongStr.Length - TUnitDelimStrLenInt, _
TUnitDelimStrLenInt)
NumToLongStr &= " " & ConjStr & " "
End If
Dim CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt As Integer
If RoundUpBool Then
If CurrNumUnitsDbl <> CurrTruncNumUnitsInt Then
CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt = CurrTruncNumUnitsInt + 1
Else
CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt = CurrTruncNumUnitsInt
End If
Else
CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt = Math.Round( _
value:=CurrNumUnitsDbl, mode:=MidpointRounding.AwayFromZero)
End If
NumToLongStr &= _
PluralizeUnitsStr(CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt, _
.UnitSglStr, .UnitPluralStr, FormatStr, FmtProvider)
Exit For
Else ' -- Not (MaxUnitLevInt or MaxNumUnitLevsInt)
If NumUnitLevsShownInt > 0 OrElse CurrTruncNumUnitsInt <> 0 Then
NumToLongStr &= _
PluralizeUnitsStr(CurrTruncNumUnitsInt, _
.UnitSglStr, .UnitPluralStr, FormatStr, FmtProvider) & _
TUnitDelimStr
NumUnitLevsShownInt += 1
End If
End If ' -- Else Not (MaxUnitLevInt or MaxNumUnitLevsInt)
End With ' -- UnitInfoItem
Next UnitInfoItem
End Function
''' <summary>
''' Call NumToLongStr with a specified TimeSpan's (TS) TotalDays.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="TS"></param>
''' <param name="TimeUnitInfoItms"></param>
''' <param name="ConjStr"></param>
''' <param name="MinUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxNumUnitLevsInt"></param>
''' <param name="RoundUpBool"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function TimeSpanToStr( _
ByVal TS As TimeSpan, _
ByVal TimeUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem(), _
Optional ByVal ConjStr As String = "and", _
Optional ByVal MinUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
Optional ByVal MaxUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
Optional ByVal MaxNumUnitLevsInt As Integer = 0, _
Optional ByVal RoundUpBool As Boolean = False, _
Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
) As String
Return NumToLongStr( _
NumDbl:=TS.TotalDays, _
NumUnitInfoItms:=TimeUnitInfoItms, _
ConjStr:=ConjStr, _
MinUnitLevInt:=MinUnitLevInt, _
MaxUnitLevInt:=MaxUnitLevInt, _
MaxNumUnitLevsInt:=MaxNumUnitLevsInt, _
RoundUpBool:=RoundUpBool, _
FormatStr:=FormatStr, _
FmtProvider:=FmtProvider _
)
End Function
''' <summary>
''' Call TimeSpanToStr with TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="TS"></param>
''' <param name="MinUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxNumUnitLevsInt"></param>
''' <param name="RoundUpBool"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function TimeSpanToLongEnStr( _
ByVal TS As TimeSpan, _
Optional ByVal MinUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
Optional ByVal MaxUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
Optional ByVal MaxNumUnitLevsInt As Integer = 0, _
Optional ByVal RoundUpBool As Boolean = False, _
Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
) As String
Return TimeSpanToStr( _
TS:=TS, _
TimeUnitInfoItms:=TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms, _
MinUnitLevInt:=MinUnitLevInt, _
MaxUnitLevInt:=MaxUnitLevInt, _
MaxNumUnitLevsInt:=MaxNumUnitLevsInt, _
RoundUpBool:=RoundUpBool, _
FormatStr:=FormatStr, _
FmtProvider:=FmtProvider _
)
End Function
