How do I convert a TimeSpan to a formatted string? [duplicate]

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/842057

c#
timespan

20-08-2019
|

Question

This question already has an answer here:

How can I String.Format a TimeSpan object with a custom format in .NET? 19 answers
Timespan formatting [duplicate] 5 answers

I have two DateTime vars, beginTime and endTime. I have gotten the difference of them by doing the following:

TimeSpan dateDifference = endTime.Subtract(beginTime);

How can I now return a string of this in hh hrs, mm mins, ss secs format using C#.

If the difference was 00:06:32.4458750

It should return this 00 hrs, 06 mins, 32 secs

Solution

Would TimeSpan.ToString() do the trick for you? If not, it looks like the code sample on that page describes how to do custom formatting of a TimeSpan object.

OTHER TIPS

I just built a few TimeSpan Extension methods. Thought I could share:

public static string ToReadableAgeString(this TimeSpan span)
{
    return string.Format("{0:0}", span.Days / 365.25);
}

public static string ToReadableString(this TimeSpan span)
{
    string formatted = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}{3}",
        span.Duration().Days > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} day{1}, ", span.Days, span.Days == 1 ? String.Empty : "s") : string.Empty,
        span.Duration().Hours > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} hour{1}, ", span.Hours, span.Hours == 1 ? String.Empty : "s") : string.Empty,
        span.Duration().Minutes > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} minute{1}, ", span.Minutes, span.Minutes == 1 ? String.Empty : "s") : string.Empty,
        span.Duration().Seconds > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} second{1}", span.Seconds, span.Seconds == 1 ? String.Empty : "s") : string.Empty);

    if (formatted.EndsWith(", ")) formatted = formatted.Substring(0, formatted.Length - 2);

    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(formatted)) formatted = "0 seconds";

    return formatted;
}

By converting it to a datetime, you can get localized formats:

new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm");

This is the shortest solution.

timeSpan.ToString(@"hh\:mm");

Use String.Format() with multiple parameters.

using System;

namespace TimeSpanFormat
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            TimeSpan dateDifference = new TimeSpan(0, 0, 6, 32, 445);
            string formattedTimeSpan = string.Format("{0:D2} hrs, {1:D2} mins, {2:D2} secs", dateDifference.Hours, dateDifference.Minutes, dateDifference.Seconds);
            Console.WriteLine(formattedTimeSpan);
        }
    }
}

The easiest way to format a TimeSpan is to add it to a DateTime and format that:

string formatted = (DateTime.Today + dateDifference).ToString("HH 'hrs' mm 'mins' ss 'secs'");

This works as long as the time difference is not more than 24 hours.

The Today property returns a DateTime value where the time component is zero, so the time component of the result is the TimeSpan value.

   public static class TimeSpanFormattingExtensions
   {
      public static string ToReadableString(this TimeSpan span)
      {
         return string.Join(", ", span.GetReadableStringElements()
            .Where(str => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(str)));
      }

      private static IEnumerable<string> GetReadableStringElements(this TimeSpan span)
      {
         yield return GetDaysString((int)Math.Floor(span.TotalDays));
         yield return GetHoursString(span.Hours);
         yield return GetMinutesString(span.Minutes);
         yield return GetSecondsString(span.Seconds);
      }

      private static string GetDaysString(int days)
      {
         if (days == 0)
            return string.Empty;

         if (days == 1)
            return "1 day";

         return string.Format("{0:0} days", days);
      }

      private static string GetHoursString(int hours)
      {
         if (hours == 0)
            return string.Empty;

         if (hours == 1)
            return "1 hour";

         return string.Format("{0:0} hours", hours);
      }

      private static string GetMinutesString(int minutes)
      {
         if (minutes == 0)
            return string.Empty;

         if (minutes == 1)
            return "1 minute";

         return string.Format("{0:0} minutes", minutes);
      }

      private static string GetSecondsString(int seconds)
      {
         if (seconds == 0)
            return string.Empty;

         if (seconds == 1)
            return "1 second";

         return string.Format("{0:0} seconds", seconds);
      }
   }

According to the Microsoft documentation, the TimeSpan structure exposes Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Milliseconds as integer members. Maybe you want something like:

dateDifference.Hours.ToString() + " hrs, " + dateDifference.Minutes.ToString() + " mins, " + dateDifference.Seconds.ToString() + " secs"

You can use the following code.

public static class TimeSpanExtensions
{
  public static String Verbose(this TimeSpan timeSpan)
  {
    var hours = timeSpan.Hours;
    var minutes = timeSpan.Minutes;

    if (hours > 0) return String.Format("{0} hours {1} minutes", hours, minutes);
    return String.Format("{0} minutes", minutes);
  }
}

Thanks to Peter for the extension method. I modified it to work with longer time spans better:

namespace ExtensionMethods
{
    public static class TimeSpanExtensionMethods
    {
        public static string ToReadableString(this TimeSpan span)
        {
            string formatted = string.Format("{0}{1}{2}",
                (span.Days / 7) > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} weeks, ", span.Days / 7) : string.Empty,
                span.Days % 7 > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} days, ", span.Days % 7) : string.Empty,
                span.Hours > 0 ? string.Format("{0:0} hours, ", span.Hours) : string.Empty);

            if (formatted.EndsWith(", ")) formatted = formatted.Substring(0, formatted.Length - 2);

            return formatted;
        }
    }
}

I know this question is older but .Net 4 now has support for Custom TimeSpan formats.

Also I know it's been mentioned but it caught me out, converting Ticks to DateTime works but doesn't properly handle more than a 24 hour span.

new DateTime((DateTime.Now - DateTime.Now.AddHours(-25)).Ticks).ToString("HH:mm")

That will get you 01:00 not 25:00 as you might expect.

I also had a similar issue and came up with my own extension but it seems to be a bit different than everything else.

    public static string TimeSpanToString(this TimeSpan timeSpan)
    {
        //if it's negative
        if (timeSpan.Ticks < 0)
        {
            timeSpan = timeSpan - timeSpan - timeSpan;
            if (timeSpan.Days != 0)
                return string.Format("-{0}:{1}", timeSpan.Days.ToString("d"), new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm:ss"));
            else
                return new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("-HH:mm:ss");
        }

        //if it has days
        else if (timeSpan.Days != 0)
            return string.Format("{0}:{1}", timeSpan.Days.ToString("d"), new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm:ss"));

        //otherwise return the time
        else
            return new DateTime(timeSpan.Ticks).ToString("HH:mm:ss");
    }

I know this is a late answer but this works for me:

TimeSpan dateDifference = new TimeSpan(0,0,0, (int)endTime.Subtract(beginTime).TotalSeconds);

dateDifference should now exclude the parts smaller than a second. Works in .net 2.0 too.

''' <summary>
''' Return specified Double # (NumDbl) as String using specified Number Format String (FormatStr, 
''' Default = "N0") and Format Provider (FmtProvider, Default = Nothing) followed by space and,  
''' if NumDbl = 1, the specified Singular Unit Name (SglUnitStr), else the Plural Unit Name 
''' (PluralUnitStr).
''' </summary>
''' <param name="NumDbl"></param>
''' <param name="SglUnitStr"></param>
''' <param name="PluralUnitStr"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function PluralizeUnitsStr( _
    ByVal NumDbl As Double, _
    ByVal SglUnitStr As String, _
    ByVal PluralUnitStr As String, _
    Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
    Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
    ) As String

    PluralizeUnitsStr = NumDbl.ToString(FormatStr, FmtProvider) & " "

    Dim RsltUnitStr As String

    If NumDbl = 1 Then
        RsltUnitStr = SglUnitStr
    Else
        RsltUnitStr = PluralUnitStr
    End If

    PluralizeUnitsStr &= RsltUnitStr

End Function

''' <summary>
''' Info about a # Unit.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Class clsNumUnitInfoItem
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Name of a Singular Unit (i.e. "day", "trillion", "foot")
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public UnitSglStr As String

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Name of a Plural Unit (i.e. "days", "trillion", "feet")
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public UnitPluralStr As String

    ''' <summary>
    ''' # of Units to = 1 of Next Higher (aka Parent) Unit (i.e. 24 "hours", 1000 "million", 
    ''' 5280 "feet")
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public UnitsInParentInt As Integer
End Class ' -- clsNumUnitInfoItem

Dim TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem() = { _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "day", .UnitPluralStr = "days", .UnitsInParentInt = 1}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "hour", .UnitPluralStr = "hours", .UnitsInParentInt = 24}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "minute", .UnitPluralStr = "minutes", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "second", .UnitPluralStr = "seconds", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "millisecond", .UnitPluralStr = "milliseconds", .UnitsInParentInt = 1000} _
    } ' -- Dim TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms

Dim TimeShortEnUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem() = { _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "day", .UnitPluralStr = "days", .UnitsInParentInt = 1}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "hr", .UnitPluralStr = "hrs", .UnitsInParentInt = 24}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "min", .UnitPluralStr = "mins", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "sec", .UnitPluralStr = "secs", .UnitsInParentInt = 60}, _
    New clsNumUnitInfoItem With {.UnitSglStr = "msec", .UnitPluralStr = "msecs", .UnitsInParentInt = 1000} _
    } ' -- Dim TimeShortEnUnitInfoItms

''' <summary>
''' Convert a specified Double Number (NumDbl) to a long (aka verbose) format (i.e. "1 day, 
''' 2 hours, 3 minutes, 4 seconds and 567 milliseconds") with a specified Array of Time Unit 
''' Info Items (TimeUnitInfoItms), Conjunction (ConjStr, Default = "and"), Minimum Unit Level 
''' Shown (MinUnitLevInt) (0 to TimeUnitInfoItms.Length - 1, -1=All), Maximum Unit Level Shown 
''' (MaxUnitLevInt) (-1=All), Maximum # of Unit Levels Shown (MaxNumUnitLevsInt) (1 to 0 to 
''' TimeUnitInfoItms.Length - 1, 0=All) and Round Last Shown Units Up Flag (RoundUpBool).  
''' Suppress leading 0 Unit Levels.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="NumDbl"></param>
''' <param name="NumUnitInfoItms"></param>
''' <param name="ConjStr"></param>
''' <param name="MinUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxNumUnitLevsInt"></param>
''' <param name="RoundUpBool"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function NumToLongStr( _
    ByVal NumDbl As Double, _
    ByVal NumUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem(), _
    Optional ByVal ConjStr As String = "and", _
    Optional ByVal MinUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
    Optional ByVal MaxUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
    Optional ByVal MaxNumUnitLevsInt As Integer = 0, _
    Optional ByVal RoundUpBool As Boolean = False, _
    Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
    Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
    ) As String
    NumToLongStr = ""

    Const TUnitDelimStr As String = ", "

    If (MinUnitLevInt < -1) OrElse (MinUnitLevInt >= NumUnitInfoItms.Length) Then
        Throw New Exception("Invalid MinUnitLevInt: " & MaxUnitLevInt)
    End If

    If (MaxUnitLevInt < -1) OrElse (MaxUnitLevInt >= NumUnitInfoItms.Length) Then
        Throw New Exception("Invalid MaxDetailLevelInt: " & MaxUnitLevInt)
    End If

    If (MaxNumUnitLevsInt < 0) OrElse (MaxNumUnitLevsInt > NumUnitInfoItms.Length) Then
        Throw New Exception("Invalid MaxNumUnitLevsInt: " & MaxNumUnitLevsInt)
    End If

    Dim PrevNumUnitsDbl As Double = NumDbl
    Dim CurrUnitLevInt As Integer = -1
    Dim NumUnitLevsShownInt As Integer = 0

    For Each UnitInfoItem In NumUnitInfoItms
        CurrUnitLevInt += 1

        With UnitInfoItem

            Dim CurrNumUnitsDbl As Double = PrevNumUnitsDbl * .UnitsInParentInt
            Dim CurrTruncNumUnitsInt As Integer = Math.Truncate(CurrNumUnitsDbl)
            PrevNumUnitsDbl = CurrNumUnitsDbl
            If CurrUnitLevInt < MinUnitLevInt Then Continue For
            PrevNumUnitsDbl -= CurrTruncNumUnitsInt

            'If (CurrUnitLevInt > TimeUnitInfoItms.Length) _
            '    OrElse _
            '    ( _
            '    (CurrUnitLevInt > MaxUnitLevInt) AndAlso _
            '    (MaxUnitLevInt <> -1) _
            '    ) _
            '    OrElse _
            '    ( _
            '    (NumUnitLevsShownInt + 1 > MaxNumUnitLevsInt) AndAlso _
            '    (MaxNumUnitLevsInt <> 0) _
            '    ) Then Exit For

            If (CurrUnitLevInt = (NumUnitInfoItms.Length - 1)) OrElse _
                (CurrUnitLevInt = MaxUnitLevInt) OrElse _
                ((NumUnitLevsShownInt + 1) = MaxNumUnitLevsInt) Then

                If NumUnitLevsShownInt > 0 Then
                    Dim TUnitDelimStrLenInt As Integer = TUnitDelimStr.Length
                    NumToLongStr = NumToLongStr.Remove( _
                        NumToLongStr.Length - TUnitDelimStrLenInt, _
                        TUnitDelimStrLenInt)
                    NumToLongStr &= " " & ConjStr & " "
                End If

                Dim CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt As Integer
                If RoundUpBool Then
                    If CurrNumUnitsDbl <> CurrTruncNumUnitsInt Then
                        CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt = CurrTruncNumUnitsInt + 1
                    Else
                        CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt = CurrTruncNumUnitsInt
                    End If
                Else
                    CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt = Math.Round( _
                        value:=CurrNumUnitsDbl, mode:=MidpointRounding.AwayFromZero)
                End If

                NumToLongStr &= _
                    PluralizeUnitsStr(CurrNunUnitsRoundedInt, _
                        .UnitSglStr, .UnitPluralStr, FormatStr, FmtProvider)
                Exit For

            Else ' -- Not (MaxUnitLevInt or MaxNumUnitLevsInt)

                If NumUnitLevsShownInt > 0 OrElse CurrTruncNumUnitsInt <> 0 Then
                    NumToLongStr &= _
                        PluralizeUnitsStr(CurrTruncNumUnitsInt, _
                            .UnitSglStr, .UnitPluralStr, FormatStr, FmtProvider) & _
                        TUnitDelimStr
                    NumUnitLevsShownInt += 1
                End If

            End If ' -- Else Not (MaxUnitLevInt or MaxNumUnitLevsInt)

        End With ' -- UnitInfoItem

    Next UnitInfoItem

End Function

''' <summary>
''' Call NumToLongStr with a specified TimeSpan's (TS) TotalDays.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="TS"></param>
''' <param name="TimeUnitInfoItms"></param>
''' <param name="ConjStr"></param>
''' <param name="MinUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxNumUnitLevsInt"></param>
''' <param name="RoundUpBool"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function TimeSpanToStr( _
    ByVal TS As TimeSpan, _
    ByVal TimeUnitInfoItms As clsNumUnitInfoItem(), _
    Optional ByVal ConjStr As String = "and", _
    Optional ByVal MinUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
    Optional ByVal MaxUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
    Optional ByVal MaxNumUnitLevsInt As Integer = 0, _
    Optional ByVal RoundUpBool As Boolean = False, _
    Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
    Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
    ) As String

    Return NumToLongStr( _
        NumDbl:=TS.TotalDays, _
        NumUnitInfoItms:=TimeUnitInfoItms, _
        ConjStr:=ConjStr, _
        MinUnitLevInt:=MinUnitLevInt, _
        MaxUnitLevInt:=MaxUnitLevInt, _
        MaxNumUnitLevsInt:=MaxNumUnitLevsInt, _
        RoundUpBool:=RoundUpBool, _
        FormatStr:=FormatStr, _
        FmtProvider:=FmtProvider _
        )

End Function

''' <summary>
''' Call TimeSpanToStr with TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="TS"></param>
''' <param name="MinUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxUnitLevInt"></param>
''' <param name="MaxNumUnitLevsInt"></param>
''' <param name="RoundUpBool"></param>
''' <param name="FormatStr"></param>
''' <param name="FmtProvider"></param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function TimeSpanToLongEnStr( _
    ByVal TS As TimeSpan, _
    Optional ByVal MinUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
    Optional ByVal MaxUnitLevInt As Integer = -1, _
    Optional ByVal MaxNumUnitLevsInt As Integer = 0, _
    Optional ByVal RoundUpBool As Boolean = False, _
    Optional ByVal FormatStr As String = "N0", _
    Optional ByVal FmtProvider As System.IFormatProvider = Nothing _
    ) As String

    Return TimeSpanToStr( _
        TS:=TS, _
        TimeUnitInfoItms:=TimeLongEnUnitInfoItms, _
        MinUnitLevInt:=MinUnitLevInt, _
        MaxUnitLevInt:=MaxUnitLevInt, _
        MaxNumUnitLevsInt:=MaxNumUnitLevsInt, _
        RoundUpBool:=RoundUpBool, _
        FormatStr:=FormatStr, _
        FmtProvider:=FmtProvider _
        )
End Function

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