Need the time in am pm instead of 24 hour format

Question

I've the following code that returns the time in 24 hour format. I want it in 12 hr am pm format

public void LogProcess()
    {
        string Reason = null;
        Console.WriteLine("Enter your name:");
        string UserName = Console.ReadLine();
        DateTime t = DateTime.Now;
        int hr = t.Hour;
        int m = t.Minute;

can u please guide me in this.

MSDN documentation: [Custom Date and Time Format Strings](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8kb3ddd4.aspx) — germi, Apr 25 '14 at 12:26
If you want the value (i. e. 3 instead of 15), just do `(dateHour % 12)` — germi, Apr 25 '14 at 12:29
@germi: Nope, that doesn't give you the normal 12-hour format, which is 1-12, not 0-11. — Jon Skeet, Apr 25 '14 at 12:33
@germi Why? There is already a facility to fetch correct value. — Bharadwaj, Apr 25 '14 at 12:34
@JonSkeet Ah right. I never use it and only thought about midnight, in which case I normally say 0:... But you're right, of course. — germi, Apr 25 '14 at 12:35
... and this is why Noda Time has [`LocalTime.ClockHourOfHalfDay`](http://nodatime.org/unstable/api/html/P_NodaTime_LocalTime_ClockHourOfHalfDay.htm). — Jon Skeet, Apr 25 '14 at 12:35
Caroline, this code doesn't *return* anything. Given the name of the method, presumably you're really getting the values in order to format them into a string... in which case you should perform a *single* string formatting operation, rather than splitting things up. More context would help us to help you more. — Jon Skeet, Apr 25 '14 at 12:36
@Bharadwaj Can you get the [1-12] value without formatting it as `string` and then casting it back to `int`? I only know that way... — germi, Apr 25 '14 at 12:38
(I'd also avoid using a 12 hour format anyway, in almost all cases...) — Jon Skeet, Apr 25 '14 at 12:40
@germi `I want it in 12 hr am pm format`, this doesn't explain to get the value in `int`. — Bharadwaj, Apr 25 '14 at 12:40
@Bharadwaj That's why I first directed OP to the documentation where the string formatting options are explained. Getting the `int` value was an additional (though wrong) comment. — germi, Apr 25 '14 at 12:41
@germi Your first link is good, but your next comment is not wrong, but I guess it is not what OP want. — Bharadwaj, Apr 25 '14 at 12:43

Sudhakar Tillapudi · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-25T12:53:32.073

3

Solution 1 : You can use ToString() function with custom date format strings to get the required part of the DateTime string.

1. You need to use small hh for getting the hours in 12 Hour format. 2. You need to use tt for getting the AM or PM string.

Try

string Hours = DateTime.Now.ToString("hh");
string AMorPM = DateTime.Now.ToString("tt");

For complete Time Info:

DateTime dt = DateTime.Now;
int hours = Convert.ToInt32(dt.ToString("hh"));
int minutes = dt.Minute;
int seconds = dt.Second;
string AMorPM  = dt.ToString("tt");

Solution 2: You can perfomr the mod operation with 24 hour value with 12 to get the 12 hour value.

Note: You need to map result (after mod operation) to 1 if it is 0.

int hours = (dt.Hour % 12 != 0) ? dt.Hour : 1;
string AMorPM  = dt.ToString("tt");

edited Apr 25 '14 at 12:53

answered Apr 25 '14 at 12:26

Sudhakar Tillapudi

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@Bharadwaj: yea that is valid, but OP is trying to capture the individual units into seprate variables. – Sudhakar Tillapudi Apr 25 '14 at 12:34
Converting to a string and back is a really nasty way of getting the hours/minutes/seconds part. – Jon Skeet Apr 25 '14 at 12:34
@SudhakarTillapudi Yes, but I saw `I want it in 12 hr am pm format` in OP's question. – Bharadwaj Apr 25 '14 at 12:36
@JonSkeet: i agree jon but for getting hours in 12 hour fomrat i could not find any better way. – Sudhakar Tillapudi Apr 25 '14 at 12:37
@SudhakarTillapudi: Well I'd use `DateTime.Hour % 12` and then special-case the 0->12 mapping. – Jon Skeet Apr 25 '14 at 12:39
@SudhakarTillapudi the code which you gave is much comfortable as it reduces the length not much but yeah it works. – Caroline kbp Apr 25 '14 at 12:56

Soner Gönül · Answer 2 · 2014-04-25T13:33:08.043

2

DateTime has no implicit format, it is just a DateTime value.. But strings have. You can use hh specifier with DateTime.ToString(string) method to get 12 hour-clock representation of your hour.

var dt = DateTime.Now;
string hr = dt.ToString("hh");
string m =  dt.ToString("mm");

For more information, take a look at;

Custom Date and Time Format Strings

edited Apr 25 '14 at 13:33

answered Apr 25 '14 at 12:27

Soner Gönül

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Except you shouldn't call `DateTime.Now` twice, as the time could change between the two. For example, at about 3pm you could end up with "2" and "0" instead of either "2" and "59" or "3" and "0". – Jon Skeet Apr 25 '14 at 12:34
@JonSkeet Oh, good point Jon. Updated. Thanks. – Soner Gönül Apr 25 '14 at 13:33

Need the time in am pm instead of 24 hour format

2 Answers2