asked on

Converting Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JToken to a DateTime

I've got some Twitter data that looks like this:

? jsonDat[x]["created_at"].ToString()
"Mon Oct 24 07:32:25 +0000 2016"

But I'm having trouble converting it to a C# DateTime.

Here are some things I've tried and the responses.

? DateTime.Parse("Mon Oct 24 07:32:25 +0000 2016")
'DateTime.Parse("Mon Oct 24 07:32:25 +0000 2016")' threw an exception of type 'System.FormatException'
    Data: {System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal}
    HResult: -2146233033
    HelpLink: null
    InnerException: null
    Message: "String was not recognized as a valid DateTime."
    Source: "mscorlib"
    StackTrace: "   at System.DateTimeParse.Parse(String s, DateTimeFormatInfo dtfi, DateTimeStyles styles)\r\n   at System.DateTime.Parse(String s)"
    TargetSite: {System.DateTime Parse(System.String, System.Globalization.DateTimeFormatInfo, System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles)}

--

? System.Convert.ChangeType(jsonDat[x]["created_at"].ToString(),typeof(DateTime))
'System.Convert.ChangeType(jsonDat[x]["created_at"].ToString(),typeof(DateTime))' threw an exception of type 'System.FormatException'
    Data: {System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal}
    HResult: -2146233033
    HelpLink: null
    InnerException: null
    Message: "String was not recognized as a valid DateTime."
    Source: "mscorlib"
    StackTrace: "   at System.DateTimeParse.Parse(String s, DateTimeFormatInfo dtfi, DateTimeStyles styles)\r\n   at System.Convert.ToDateTime(String value, IFormatProvider provider)\r\n   at System.String.System.IConvertible.ToDateTime(IFormatProvider provider)\r\n   at System.Convert.ChangeType(Object value, Type conversionType, IFormatProvider provider)\r\n   at System.Convert.ChangeType(Object value, Type conversionType)"
    TargetSite: {System.DateTime Parse(System.String, System.Globalization.DateTimeFormatInfo, System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles)}

--

? jsonDat[x]["created_at"].ToObject<DateTime>();
'jsonDat[x]["created_at"].ToObject<DateTime>()' threw an exception of type 'System.FormatException'
    Data: {System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal}
    HResult: -2146233033
    HelpLink: null
    InnerException: null
    Message: "String was not recognized as a valid DateTime."
    Source: "mscorlib"
    StackTrace: "   at System.DateTimeParse.Parse(String s, DateTimeFormatInfo dtfi, DateTimeStyles styles)\r\n   at System.Convert.ToDateTime(String value, IFormatProvider provider)\r\n   at System.String.System.IConvertible.ToDateTime(IFormatProvider provider)\r\n   at System.Convert.ToDateTime(Object value, IFormatProvider provider)\r\n   at Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JToken.op_Explicit(JToken value)\r\n   at Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JToken.ToObject(Type objectType)\r\n   at Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JToken.ToObject[T]()"
    TargetSite: {System.DateTime Parse(System.String, System.Globalization.DateTimeFormatInfo, System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles)}

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It could be because I'm in the UK and the DateTime format is different - any suggestions on how I can extract a DateTime out of this value?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

it_saige

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purplesoup

ASKER

Thanks - excellent answer, I love answers with a proof of concept!

purplesoup

ASKER

I had to modify it - but you weren't to know it was 24 hour clock.

? DateTime.ParseExact("Mon Oct 24 17:02:54 +0000 2016","ddd MMM dd HH:mm:ss zzzz yyyy", Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture);
{24/10/2016 18:02:54}
Date: {24/10/2016 00:00:00}
Day: 24
DayOfWeek: Monday
DayOfYear: 298
Hour: 18
Kind: Local
Millisecond: 0
Minute: 2
Month: 10
Second: 54
Ticks: 636129289740000000
TimeOfDay: {18:02:54}
Year: 2016

it_saige

The lack of an AM/PM designator should be an indicator that this was needed in 24-hr format and I apologize for missing that. Otherwise, I am glad to have been of assistance.

-saige-