DateTime.ToString Method

Converts the value of this instance to its equivalent string representation.

Overload List

Converts the value of this instance to its equivalent string.

Supported by the .NET Compact Framework.

[Visual Basic] Overloads Overrides Public Function ToString() As String

[C#] public override string ToString();

[C++] public: String* ToString();

[JScript] public override function ToString() : String;

Converts the value of this instance to its equivalent string representation using the specified culture-specific format information.

Supported by the .NET Compact Framework.

[Visual Basic] Overloads Public Overridable Function ToString(IFormatProvider) As String

[C#] public virtual string ToString(IFormatProvider);

[C++] public: virtual String* ToString(IFormatProvider*);

[JScript] public function ToString(IFormatProvider) : String;

Converts the value of this instance to its equivalent string representation using the specified format.

Supported by the .NET Compact Framework.

[Visual Basic] Overloads Public Function ToString(String) As String

[C#] public string ToString(string);

[C++] public: String* ToString(String*);

[JScript] public function ToString(String) : String;

Converts the value of this instance to its equivalent string representation using the specified format and culture-specific format information.

Supported by the .NET Compact Framework.

[Visual Basic] Overloads Public Overridable Function ToString(String, IFormatProvider) As String

[C#] public virtual string ToString(string, IFormatProvider);

[C++] public: virtual String* ToString(String*, IFormatProvider*);

[JScript] public function ToString(String, IFormatProvider) : String;

Example

The following sample demonstrates different ways of formatting a DateTime value using the invariant DateTimeFormatInfo.

[Visual Basic] 
Option Explicit
Option Strict

Imports System
Imports System.Globalization

Public Class MainClass
    
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim dt As DateTime = DateTime.Now
        Dim myformat() As String =  {"d", "D", _
                                    "f", "F", _
                                    "g", "G", _
                                    "m", _
                                    "r", _
                                    "s", _
                                    "t", "T", _
                                    "u", "U", _
                                    "y", _
                                    "dddd, MMMM dd yyyy", _
                                    "ddd, MMM d ""'""yy", _
                                    "dddd, MMMM dd", _
                                    "M/yy", _
                                    "dd-MM-yy"}
        Dim mydate As String
        Dim i As Integer
        For i = 0 To myformat.Length - 1
            mydate = dt.ToString(myformat(i), DateTimeFormatInfo.InvariantInfo)
            Console.WriteLine(String.Concat(myformat(i), " :", mydate))
        Next i

    ' Output.
    '
    ' d :08/17/2000
    ' D :Thursday, August 17, 2000
    ' f :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32
    ' F :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32:32
    ' g :08/17/2000 16:32
    ' G :08/17/2000 16:32:32
    ' m :August 17
    ' r :Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:32:32 GMT
    ' s :2000-08-17T16:32:32
    ' t :16:32
    ' T :16:32:32
    ' u :2000-08-17 23:32:32Z
    ' U :Thursday, August 17, 2000 23:32:32
    ' y :August, 2000
    ' dddd, MMMM dd yyyy :Thursday, August 17 2000
    ' ddd, MMM d "'"yy :Thu, Aug 17 '00
    ' dddd, MMMM dd :Thursday, August 17
    ' M/yy :8/00
    ' dd-MM-yy :17-08-00
    End Sub 'Main 
End Class 'MainClass

[C#] 
using System;
using System.Globalization; 

public class MainClass { 
   public static void Main(string[] args)  {
       DateTime dt = DateTime.Now;
       String[] format = {
           "d", "D",
           "f", "F",
           "g", "G",
           "m",
           "r",
           "s",
           "t", "T",
           "u", "U",
           "y",
           "dddd, MMMM dd yyyy",
           "ddd, MMM d \"'\"yy",
           "dddd, MMMM dd",
           "M/yy",
           "dd-MM-yy",
       };
       String date;
       for (int i = 0; i < format.Length; i++) {
           date = dt.ToString(format[i], DateTimeFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
           Console.WriteLine(String.Concat(format[i], " :" , date));
       }
 
  /** Output.
   *
   * d :08/17/2000
   * D :Thursday, August 17, 2000
   * f :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32
   * F :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32:32
   * g :08/17/2000 16:32
   * G :08/17/2000 16:32:32
   * m :August 17
   * r :Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:32:32 GMT
   * s :2000-08-17T16:32:32
   * t :16:32
   * T :16:32:32
   * u :2000-08-17 23:32:32Z
   * U :Thursday, August 17, 2000 23:32:32
   * y :August, 2000
   * dddd, MMMM dd yyyy :Thursday, August 17 2000
   * ddd, MMM d "'"yy :Thu, Aug 17 '00
   * dddd, MMMM dd :Thursday, August 17
   * M/yy :8/00
   * dd-MM-yy :17-08-00
   */
   }
}

[C++] 
#using <mscorlib.dll>
 
 using namespace System;
 using namespace System::Globalization; 
 
 void main ()
 {
   DateTime dt = DateTime::Now;
   String* format[] = {
     L"d", L"D",
     L"f", L"F",
     L"g", L"G",
     L"m",
     L"r",
     L"s",
     L"t", L"T",
     L"u", L"U",
     L"y",
     L"dddd, MMMM dd yyyy",
     L"ddd, MMM d \"'\"yy",
     L"dddd, MMMM dd",
     L"M/yy",
     L"dd-MM-yy",
     };
   String * date;
   for (int i = 0; i < format->Length; i++)
   {
     date = dt.ToString(format[i], DateTimeFormatInfo::InvariantInfo);
     Console::WriteLine(String::Concat(format[i], L" :" , date));
   }
  
   /** Output.
    *
    * d :08/17/2000
    * D :Thursday, August 17, 2000
    * f :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32
    * F :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32:32
    * g :08/17/2000 16:32
    * G :08/17/2000 16:32:32
    * m :August 17
    * r :Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:32:32 GMT
    * s :2000-08-17T16:32:32
    * t :16:32
    * T :16:32:32
    * u :2000-08-17 23:32:32Z
    * U :Thursday, August 17, 2000 23:32:32
    * y :August, 2000
    * dddd, MMMM dd yyyy :Thursday, August 17 2000
    * ddd, MMM d "'"yy :Thu, Aug 17 '00
    * dddd, MMMM dd :Thursday, August 17
    * M/yy :8/00
    * dd-MM-yy :17-08-00
    */
 }

[JScript] 
import System;
import System.Globalization; 
 

var dt : DateTime = DateTime.Now;
var format : String[] = [
    "d", "D",
    "f", "F",
    "g", "G",
    "m",
    "r",
    "s",
    "t", "T",
    "u", "U",
    "y",
    "dddd, MMMM dd yyyy",
    "ddd, MMM d \"'\"yy",
    "dddd, MMMM dd",
    "M/yy",
    "dd-MM-yy",
    ];
var date : String;
for (var i : int = 0; i < format.Length; i++) {
    date = dt.ToString(format[i], DateTimeFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
    Console.WriteLine(format[i] + " :" + date);
}

  
   /** Output.
    *
    * d :08/17/2000
    * D :Thursday, August 17, 2000
    * f :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32
    * F :Thursday, August 17, 2000 16:32:32
    * g :08/17/2000 16:32
    * G :08/17/2000 16:32:32
    * m :August 17
    * r :Thu, 17 Aug 2000 23:32:32 GMT
    * s :2000-08-17T16:32:32
    * t :16:32
    * T :16:32:32
    * u :2000-08-17 23:32:32Z
    * U :Thursday, August 17, 2000 23:32:32
    * y :August, 2000
    * dddd, MMMM dd yyyy :Thursday, August 17 2000
    * ddd, MMM d "'"yy :Thu, Aug 17 '00
    * dddd, MMMM dd :Thursday, August 17
    * M/yy :8/00
    * dd-MM-yy :17-08-00
    */

See Also

DateTime Structure | DateTime Members | System Namespace