Article
11/18/2011

DateTime.ToLongDateString Method

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Converts the value of the current DateTime object to its equivalent long date string representation.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

'Declaration
Public Function ToLongDateString As String

public string ToLongDateString()

Return Value

Type: System.String
The long date string representation of the current DateTime object.

Remarks

The value of the current DateTime object is formatted using the pattern defined by the LongDatePattern property associated with the current thread culture. The return value is identical to the value returned by specifying the "D" standard DateTime format string with the ToString(String) method.

Important Note:
The string returned by the ToLongDateString method is culture-sensitive. It reflects the pattern defined by the current culture's DateTimeFormatInfo object. For example, for the en-US culture, the standard long date pattern is "dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy"; for the de-DE culture, it is "dddd, d. MMMM yyyy"; for the ja-JP culture, it is "yyyy'?'M'?'d'?'". The specific format string on a particular computer can also be customized so that it differs from the standard long date format string.

The string returned by the ToLongDateString method is culture-sensitive. It reflects the pattern defined by the current culture's DateTimeFormatInfo object. For example, for the en-US culture, the standard long date pattern is "dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy"; for the de-DE culture, it is "dddd, d. MMMM yyyy"; for the ja-JP culture, it is "yyyy'?'M'?'d'?'". The specific format string on a particular computer can also be customized so that it differs from the standard long date format string.

For more information about the current thread culture, see the CurrentCulture property. For more information about format characters, format patterns, and the output they produce, see the Formatting Types topic. For more information about changing the format pattern associated with a format character, see the DateTimeFormatInfo class.

Examples

The following example demonstrates the ToLongDateString method.

' This code example demonstrates the DateTime.ToLongDateString(),
' DateTime.ToLongTimeString(), DateTime.ToShortDateString(), and
' DateTime.ToShortTimeString() methods.

Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Globalization

Class Example
   Public Shared Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)
      Dim msg1 As String = _
         "The date and time patterns are defined in the DateTimeFormatInfo " & vbCrLf & _
         "object associated with the current thread culture." & vbCrLf

      ' Initialize a DateTime object.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Initialize the DateTime object to May 16, 2001 3:02:15 AM." & vbCrLf) & vbCrLf
      Dim myDateTime As New DateTime(2001, 5, 16, 3, 2, 15)

      ' Identify the source of the date and time patterns.
      outputBlock.Text &= msg1 & vbCrLf

      ' Display the name of the current culture.
      Dim ci As CultureInfo = Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Current culture: ""{0}" & vbCrLf, ci.Name) & vbCrLf

      ' Display the long date pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long date pattern: ""{0}""", ci.DateTimeFormat.LongDatePattern) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long date string:  ""{0}" & vbCrLf, myDateTime.ToLongDateString()) & vbCrLf

      ' Display the long time pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long time pattern: ""{0}""", ci.DateTimeFormat.LongTimePattern) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long time string:  ""{0}" & vbCrLf, myDateTime.ToLongTimeString()) & vbCrLf

      ' Display the short date pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short date pattern: ""{0}""", ci.DateTimeFormat.ShortDatePattern) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short date string:  ""{0}" & vbCrLf, myDateTime.ToShortDateString()) & vbCrLf

      ' Display the short time pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short time pattern: ""{0}""", ci.DateTimeFormat.ShortTimePattern) & vbCrLf
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short time string:  ""{0}" & vbCrLf, myDateTime.ToShortTimeString()) & vbCrLf
   End Sub 'Main
End Class 'Sample

'
'This code example produces the following results:
'
'Initialize the DateTime object to May 16, 2001 3:02:15 AM
'
'The date and time patterns are defined in the DateTimeFormatInfo
'object associated with the current thread culture.
'
'Current culture: "en-US"
'
'Long date pattern: "dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy"
'Long date string:  "Wednesday, May 16, 2001"
'
'Long time pattern: "h:mm:ss tt"
'Long time string:  "3:02:15 AM"
'
'Short date pattern: "M/d/yyyy"
'Short date string:  "5/16/2001"
'
'Short time pattern: "h:mm tt"
'Short time string:  "3:02 AM"
'

// This code example demonstrates the DateTime.ToLongDateString(),
// DateTime.ToLongTimeString(), DateTime.ToShortDateString(), and
// DateTime.ToShortTimeString() methods.

using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Globalization;

class Example
{
   public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
   {
      string msg1 = "The date and time patterns are defined in the DateTimeFormatInfo \n" +
                    "object associated with the current thread culture.\n";

      // Initialize a DateTime object.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Initialize the DateTime object to May 16, 2001 3:02:15 AM.\n") + "\n";
      DateTime myDateTime = new System.DateTime(2001, 5, 16, 3, 2, 15);

      // Identify the source of the date and time patterns.
      outputBlock.Text += msg1 + "\n";

      // Display the name of the current culture.
      CultureInfo ci = Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture;
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Current culture: \"{0}\"\n", ci.Name) + "\n";

      // Display the long date pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long date pattern: \"{0}\"", ci.DateTimeFormat.LongDatePattern) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long date string:  \"{0}\"\n", myDateTime.ToLongDateString()) + "\n";

      // Display the long time pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long time pattern: \"{0}\"", ci.DateTimeFormat.LongTimePattern) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Long time string:  \"{0}\"\n", myDateTime.ToLongTimeString()) + "\n";

      // Display the short date pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short date pattern: \"{0}\"", ci.DateTimeFormat.ShortDatePattern) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short date string:  \"{0}\"\n", myDateTime.ToShortDateString()) + "\n";

      // Display the short time pattern and string.
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short time pattern: \"{0}\"", ci.DateTimeFormat.ShortTimePattern) + "\n";
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Short time string:  \"{0}\"\n", myDateTime.ToShortTimeString()) + "\n";
   }
}

/*
This code example produces the following results:

Initialize the DateTime object to May 16, 2001 3:02:15 AM

The date and time patterns are defined in the DateTimeFormatInfo
object associated with the current thread culture.

Current culture: "en-US"

Long date pattern: "dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy"
Long date string:  "Wednesday, May 16, 2001"

Long time pattern: "h:mm:ss tt"
Long time string:  "3:02:15 AM"

Short date pattern: "M/d/yyyy"
Short date string:  "5/16/2001"

Short time pattern: "h:mm tt"
Short time string:  "3:02 AM"

*/

Version Information

Silverlight

Supported in: 5, 4, 3

Silverlight for Windows Phone

Supported in: Windows Phone OS 7.1, Windows Phone OS 7.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: Xbox 360, Windows Phone OS 7.0

Platforms

For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.

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