Convert.ToDateTime Method (String, IFormatProvider)

Parameters

• value
  Type: System.String
  A String containing a date and time to convert.

• provider
  Type: System.IFormatProvider
  An IFormatProvider interface implementation that supplies culture-specific formatting information.

Return Value

Type: System.DateTime
A DateTime equivalent to the value of value.
-or-
A DateTime equivalent to DateTime.MinValue if value is nulla null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic).

Imports System.Globalization

Module Example
   Public Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)
      outputBlock.FontFamily = New FontFamily("Courier New")
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0,-18}{1,-12}{2}", "Date String", "Culture", "Result") + vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += vbCrLf

      Dim cultureNames() As String = { "en-US", "ru-RU","ja-JP" }
      Dim dateStrings() As String = { "01/02/09", "2009/02/03",  "01/2009/03", _
                                      "01/02/2009", "21/02/09", "01/22/09",   _
                                      "01/02/23" }

      ' Iterate each culture name in the array.
      For Each cultureName As String In cultureNames
         Dim culture As CultureInfo = New CultureInfo(cultureName)

         ' Parse each date using the designated culture.
         For Each dateStr As String In dateStrings
            Dim dateTimeValue As DateTime
            Try
               dateTimeValue = Convert.ToDateTime(dateStr, culture)
                ' Display the date and time in a fixed format.
                outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0,-18}{1,-12}{2:yyyy-MMM-dd}", _
                                  dateStr, cultureName, dateTimeValue) + vbCrLf
            Catch e As FormatException 
                outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0,-18}{1,-12}{2}", _
                                  dateStr, cultureName, e.GetType().Name) + vbCrLf
            End Try            
         Next
         outputBlock.Text += vbCrLf
      Next
   End Sub
End Module
' This example displays the following output:
' The example displays the following output:
'       Date String       Culture     Result
'       
'       01/02/09          en-US       2009-Jan-02
'       2009/02/03        en-US       2009-Feb-03
'       01/2009/03        en-US       2009-Jan-03
'       01/02/2009        en-US       2009-Jan-02
'       21/02/09          en-US       FormatException
'       01/22/09          en-US       2009-Jan-22
'       01/02/23          en-US       2023-Jan-02
'       
'       01/02/09          ru-RU       2009-Feb-01
'       2009/02/03        ru-RU       2009-Feb-03
'       01/2009/03        ru-RU       2009-Jan-03
'       01/02/2009        ru-RU       2009-Feb-01
'       21/02/09          ru-RU       2009-Feb-21
'       01/22/09          ru-RU       FormatException
'       01/02/23          ru-RU       2023-Feb-01
'       
'       01/02/09          ja-JP       2001-Feb-09
'       2009/02/03        ja-JP       2009-Feb-03
'       01/2009/03        ja-JP       2009-Jan-03
'       01/02/2009        ja-JP       2009-Jan-02
'       21/02/09          ja-JP       2021-Feb-09
'       01/22/09          ja-JP       FormatException
'       01/02/23          ja-JP       2001-Feb-23

using System;
using System.Globalization;

public class Example
{
   public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
   {
      outputBlock.FontFamily = new System.Windows.Media.FontFamily("Courier New");
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0,-18}{1,-12}{2}\n\n", 
                                        "Date String", "Culture", "Result");

      string[] cultureNames = { "en-US", "ru-RU","ja-JP" };
      string[] dateStrings = { "01/02/09", "2009/02/03",  "01/2009/03", 
                               "01/02/2009", "21/02/09", "01/22/09",  
                               "01/02/23" };
      // Iterate each culture name in the array.
      foreach (string cultureName in cultureNames)
      {
         CultureInfo culture = new CultureInfo(cultureName);

         // Parse each date using the designated culture.
         foreach (string dateStr in dateStrings)
         {
            DateTime dateTimeValue;
            try {
               dateTimeValue = Convert.ToDateTime(dateStr, culture);
                // Display the date and time in a fixed format.
                outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0,-18}{1,-12}{2:yyyy-MMM-dd}\n",
                                                  dateStr, cultureName, dateTimeValue);
            }
            catch (FormatException e) { 
                outputBlock.Text += String.Format("{0,-18}{1,-12}{2}\n", 
                                  dateStr, cultureName, e.GetType().Name);
            }
         }
         outputBlock.Text += "\n";
      }
   }
}