[RESOLVED] [2005] Date to String formatting

[obscuregirl]

Hi

I'm using DateTime.TryParseExact to verify dates that users put into a textbox (I know datepickers are better, but my users refuse to use them!).

In one particular instance, I have a start date text box, an end date text box and a duration (months) numeric field. When the user has entered a start date and a duration, I want to be able to calculate the end date.

I am using this code:

Dim tempStartDate As Date
        Dim tempEndDate As Date
        Dim okDate As Boolean
       
        okDate = DateTime.TryParseExact(txtRGStartDt.Text, "dd/MM/yyyy", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, Globalization.DateTimeStyles.None, tempStartDate)

        tempEndDate = DateAdd(DateInterval.Month, nuDuration.Value, tempStartDate.Date)

        txtRGEndDt.Text  = tempEndDate.ToString("dd\MM\yyyy")

The trouble is, the end date text is coming out all screwy e.g. if start date is 15/05/2005 and duration (months) is set to 1, end date is being set as '15M6y2005'.

I think it's to do with the fact that even though I am specifying a format of 'dd/MM/yyyy' for the TryParseExact function, the date it returns (tempStartDate) is in the format 'MM/dd/yyyy', so when I use the toString function and specify the 'dd/MM/yyyy' format, it doesn't like it!

Please does anyone know how to resolve this? Thanks.

[jmcilhinney]

You've got your delimiters the wrong way around so they're actually escaping the following character. This:

tempEndDate.ToString("dd\MM\yyyy")

should be this:

tempEndDate.ToString("dd/MM/yyyy")

or, if you actually do want backslashes it should be this:

tempEndDate.ToString("dd\\MM\\yyyy")

Also, use the members of the Date object itself instead of DateAdd, e.g.

tempEndDate = tempStartDate.Date.AddMonths(Convert.ToInt32(nuDuration.Value))

[obscuregirl]

You've got your delimiters the wrong way around so they're actually escaping the following character.

Oh dear, I should have known it would be something obvious like that! Trust me not to see it! Thanks jmcilhinney! Once again, you've saved my bacon!