how to convert date with 'T' to/from string in C#

Question

I used following functions to convert DateTime from/into string:

DATE_OBJ.ToString(DATE_FORMAT);

DateTime.ParseExact(Date_string, DATE_FORMAT, null);

Now I've got to work with follow format 2012-03-20T14:18:25.000+04:00

Which format should I use to convert it correctly to string and generate string like that from DateTime object?

Answer 1

You cannot do this from DateTime, as DateTime holds no TimeZone info.

This is close: string.Format("{0:s}", dt) will give 2012-03-20T14:18:25. See: http://www.csharp-examples.net/string-format-datetime/

You could extend this to: string.Format("{0:s}.{0:fff}", dt), which will give 2012-03-20T14:18:25.000

But you better have a look at DateTimeOffset: DateTime vs DateTimeOffset

(Not advisable, but to fake it and still use DateTime: string.Format("{0:s}.{0:fff}+04:00", dt))

Answer 2

You can go from DateTime to that format with

DateTime dt = new DateTime();
dt.ToString("o");

and from that format to DateTime with

DateTimeOffset.Parse(dateString);

Here is some more info on DateTime format: http://www.dotnetperls.com/datetime-format

Answer 3

You are better of using DateTimeOffSet like:

string str = " 2012-03-20T14:18:25.000+04:00";
DateTimeOffset dto = DateTimeOffset.Parse(str);
//Get the date object from the string. 
DateTime dtObject = dto.DateTime; 

//Convert the DateTimeOffSet to string. 
string newVal = dto.ToString("o");