Converting DateTime to SmallDateTime in c#

Question

How can ı convert datetime to smalldatetime in c# ? I'm taking the date and ı need to convert it to be accordance with database. It is forbidden to change the datatype of column in sql.

Answer 1

You can use the .NET DateTime type for your entity framework model, but tell EF that it uses a non-default column type in the database. You do this by overriding the OnModelCreating method of your DbContext, and using the HasColumnType method:

public class Foo    
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public DateTime IAmSoSmall { get; set; }    // wants to be smalldatetime in SQL
}

public class MyContext : DbContext
{
    public DbSet<Foo> Foos { get; set; }

    protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder)
    {
        var foo = modelBuilder.Entity<Foo>();
        foo.Property(f => f.IAmSoSmall).HasColumnType("smalldatetime");

        base.OnModelCreating(modelBuilder);
    }
}

Of course, you'll have to do the appropriate range-checking on your DateTime property to be sure that the stored values fall between those supported by SQL's smalldatetime. I guess you could do that with a property attribute like:

    [Range(typeof(DateTime), "1/1/1900", "6/6/2079")]
    public DateTime IAmSoSmall { get; set; }    // wants to be smalldatetime in SQL

...based on a valid range from January 1, 1900, through June 6, 2079, as documented on MSDN.