String was not recognized as a valid DateTime while converting Datetime

Question

I have been trying to convert date time format as below, but keep getting this issue. It works fine for first three of the given Example but for the fourth one, it throws an exception. Not sure why such exception is occurring.

Examples :

02-05-2018 12:07:00
02-05-2018 11:56:00
02-05-2018 11:56:00
02-05-2018 14:12:00 (Problem Occurs on this one)

C# Code :

if (item.ReceivedDate != null && item.ReceivedDate != "")
{ 
   string[] formats = { "HH:mm:ss MM-dd-yyyy","hh:mm MM/dd/yyyy","dd-MM-yyyy hh:mm:ss","MM/dd/yyyy", "MM-dd-yyyy", "dd MMM yy", "dd-MMM-yyyy","dd-MM-yyyy", "MM-dd-yyyy", "d-M-yyyy", "d-MMM-yy", "dd-MMM-yy", "d-MMMM-yyyy","M-d-yyyy h:mm:ss tt", "M-d-yyyy h:mm tt",
   "MM-dd-yyyy hh:mm:ss", "M-d-yyyy h:mm:ss","yyyy-MM-dd","dd/MM/YYYY hh:mm","MM/dd/yyyy hh:mm tt","MM/dd/yyyy H:mm","MM/dd/yyyy h:mm tt",
   "M-d-yyyy hh:mm tt", "M-d-yyyy hh tt","MM/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss","MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm","MMMM dd","yyyy’-‘MM’-‘dd’T’HH’:’mm’:’ss.fffffffK","ddd, dd MMM yyy HH’:’mm’:’ss ‘GMT’",
   "M-d-yyyy h:mm", "M-d-yyyy h:mm","yyyy’-‘MM’-‘dd’T’HH’:’mm’:’ss","yyyy MMMM","dddd, dd MMMM yyyy","dddd, dd MMMM yyyy HH:mm:ss",
   "MM-dd-yyyy hh:mm", "M-dd-yyyy hh:mm",
   "MM-d-yyyy HH:mm:ss.ffffff"};
    string DATE = Convert.ToString(item.ReceivedDate);
    //DATE = DATE.Replace(' ', '-').Replace('/', '-');
    //DATE = DATE.ToString(System.Globalization.CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture("fr-FR"));
   string[] NEwDAte = (DATE.ToCharArray()[5] == ' ') ? DATE.Split(' ')[1].Trim().Split('-') : new[] { DATE };
    dr["Receiving Date"] = (DATE.ToCharArray()[5] == ' ') ? (NEwDAte[2] + "-" + NEwDAte[0] + "-" + NEwDAte[1]) : DateTime.ParseExact(DATE, formats, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None ).ToString("dd/MM/yyyy");
    //dr["Receiving Date"] = (DATE.ToCharArray()[5] == ' ') ? (NEwDAte[2] + "-" + NEwDAte[0] + "-" + NEwDAte[1]) : Convert.ToDateTime(item.ReceivedDate).ToString("yyyy-MM-dd");
}
else
{ 
    dr["Receiving Date"] = "";
}
    Finaltable.Rows.Add(dr.ItemArray);

Help me resolve this issue. Thanks

OMG, you should really reconsider this whole method, make it simple, stop putting everything on the same line, and please do read the DateTime.ParseExact documentation, oh and for love of all things beautiful in this world stop abusing null coalescing operators — TheGeneral
– TheGeneral, Commented Jun 1, 2018 at 7:19

Plexis Plexis · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-01 07:56:21Z

2

This is because the first three are of type 12-Hours, while the last one is of type 24-Hours so when the system try to convert it, it see (14) which is not a hour FOR THE CURRENT FORMAT.

The formats you are using are with (hh) which is for 12-Hours. Use (HH) instead, for 24-Hours.

Why are you putting all the formats? Just use the parsing methods in the DateTime class.

edited Jun 1, 2018 at 7:56

answered Jun 1, 2018 at 7:23

Plexis Plexis

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2 Comments

Suman Kumar Over a year ago

This what I needed, I just started writing code in c#, guess I have to learn a lot. Thank you Plexis:)

Plexis Plexis Over a year ago

Glad it helped! Welcome.. And yes, it is a long journey :)

AD8 · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-01 07:21:19Z

0

Did you try this?

var d = DateTime.ParseExact("02-05-2018 14:12:00", "dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

Console.WriteLine(d.ToLongDateString());

Check if this helps.

Have a read of DateTime.ParseExact Method here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/w2sa9yss(v=vs.110).aspx

answered Jun 1, 2018 at 7:21

AD8

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7 Comments

Suman Kumar Over a year ago

It works for one format but I receive dates comes in different format. so need to use array, when I use iarray this happens.

AD8 Over a year ago

How many formats do you want to support? Probably mention them in your question.

Suman Kumar Over a year ago

I am not sure what would be thrown at me as input...I want to handle all date time formats..is that possible?

AD8 Over a year ago

Umm, think of “02-04-2012”, would you consider this 2nd April 2012 or 4th Feb 2012?

Suman Kumar Over a year ago

By default I would consider it as MM-dd-yyyy..? But I get your point that is y=why I put formats in array....not sure if its right way...

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