Convert String to Date Time C#

Question

I'm new to c# how can I convert my input string in to DateTime.

_toDate = 5/22/2015

I cannt use

DateTime.ParseExact(_toDate, "yyyy-MM-dd", null);

Or

Convert.ToDateTime(_toDate)

throw an exception String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.

Note : String shold be excact the same as above.

Appreciate your reply

Answer 1

Clearly, your string and format does not match.

From documentation ;

Converts the specified string representation of a date and time to its DateTime equivalent. The format of the string representation must match a specified format exactly .

You need to use M/dd/yyyy with a culture that has / as a DateSeparator like InvariantCulture .

string _toDate = "5/22/2015";
DateTime myDate = DateTime.ParseExact(_toDate, "M/dd/yyyy", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

When you use null as an IFormatProvider , it's threaded as your CurrentCulture and if your CurrentCulture doesn't have / as a DateSeparator , you will get FormatException because / custom format specifier has a special meaning as replace me with current culture or supplied culture date separator .