parse multiple date formats at once

[Zeng]

Hi,

Is there a way to parse datetime in string with following possible formats
into a DateTime object?
- MM/DD/YYYY
- MM/DD/YY
- MM/YY
- MM/YYYY

This line of code would throw if I pass "08/03"
DateTime result = DateTime.Parse( s );

Thanks!

[dabuskol]

parse multiple date formats at once

REPLY :
instead of datatime use string to accomodate all your
formats then use the CONVERT function Convert.DateTim e
(string);

[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>Hi,
>
>Is there a way to parse datetime in string with[/color]
following possible formats[color=blue]
>into a DateTime object?
>- MM/DD/YYYY
>- MM/DD/YY
>- MM/YY
>- MM/YYYY
>
>This line of code would throw if I pass "08/03"
>DateTime result = DateTime.Parse( s );
>
>Thanks!
>
>
>.
>[/color]

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Re: parse multiple date formats at once

Zeng <zzy@nonospam.c om> wrote:[color=blue]
> Is there a way to parse datetime in string with following possible formats
> into a DateTime object?
> - MM/DD/YYYY
> - MM/DD/YY
> - MM/YY
> - MM/YYYY
>
> This line of code would throw if I pass "08/03"
> DateTime result = DateTime.Parse( s );[/color]

Use DateTime.ParseE xact, which takes an array of formats to try one by
one.

--
Jon Skeet - <skeet@pobox.co m>

http://www.pobox.com/~skeet

If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Zeng]

Re: parse multiple date formats at once

It seems to work but the format list keep growing (see below), I really need
a simpler way to default the date to the first day of the month, and tell
the parser/convertor to aim for month and year if the input string has only
2 numbers. Is there a way to do that?

private static string[] s_Formats = new string[] {
@"MM/dd/yyyy", @"MM-dd-yyyy", @"MM.dd.yyyy ", @"MM\dd\yyyy ",
@"M/dd/yyyy", @"M-dd-yyyy", @"M.d.yyyy", @"M\d\yyyy",
@"MM/dd/yy", @"MM-dd-yy", @"MM.dd.yy", @"MM\dd\yy",
@"M/dd/yy", @"M-dd-yy", @"M.dd.yy", @"M\dd\yy",
@"MM/yyyy", @"MM-yyyy", @"MM.yyyy", @"MM\yyyy",
@"MM/yy", @"MM-yy", @"MM.yy", @"MM\yy",
@"M/yy", @"M-yy", @"M.YY", @"M\YY" };

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <skeet@pobox.co m> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a1aaa 0ade942ca3989a6 f@msnews.micros oft.com...[color=blue]
> Zeng <zzy@nonospam.c om> wrote:[color=green]
> > Is there a way to parse datetime in string with following possible[/color][/color]
formats[color=blue][color=green]
> > into a DateTime object?
> > - MM/DD/YYYY
> > - MM/DD/YY
> > - MM/YY
> > - MM/YYYY
> >
> > This line of code would throw if I pass "08/03"
> > DateTime result = DateTime.Parse( s );[/color]
>
> Use DateTime.ParseE xact, which takes an array of formats to try one by
> one.
>
> --
> Jon Skeet - <skeet@pobox.co m>
> http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
> If replying to the group, please do not mail me too[/color]

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Re: parse multiple date formats at once

Zeng <zzy@nonospam.c om> wrote:[color=blue]
> It seems to work but the format list keep growing (see below), I really need
> a simpler way to default the date to the first day of the month, and tell
> the parser/convertor to aim for month and year if the input string has only
> 2 numbers. Is there a way to do that?
>
> private static string[] s_Formats = new string[] {
> @"MM/dd/yyyy", @"MM-dd-yyyy", @"MM.dd.yyyy ", @"MM\dd\yyyy ",
> @"M/dd/yyyy", @"M-dd-yyyy", @"M.d.yyyy", @"M\d\yyyy",
> @"MM/dd/yy", @"MM-dd-yy", @"MM.dd.yy", @"MM\dd\yy",
> @"M/dd/yy", @"M-dd-yy", @"M.dd.yy", @"M\dd\yy",
> @"MM/yyyy", @"MM-yyyy", @"MM.yyyy", @"MM\yyyy",
> @"MM/yy", @"MM-yy", @"MM.yy", @"MM\yy",
> @"M/yy", @"M-yy", @"M.YY", @"M\YY" };[/color]

Well, you could start by replacing all slashes, backslahes and dots
with dashes, and then just use one of the "columns" in the above.
Alternatively, split on the various delimiters, see how many values
you've got, parse them with Int32.Parse and then call the DateTime
constructor that takes three int parameters.

--
Jon Skeet - <skeet@pobox.co m>

http://www.pobox.com/~skeet

If replying to the group, please do not mail me too