I've used TryParseExact before in C# but I can't get it to work in PowerShell.  I am a PowerShell neophyte...here is my example:

[System.Globalization.CultureInfo]$provider = [System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture
$dateString = "Sun 15 Jun 2008 8:30 AM -06:00"
$format = "ddd dd MMM yyyy h:mm tt zzz"
$parsedDate = get-date
$result = [DateTime]::TryParseExact($dateString, $format, $provider, [System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles]::None, [ref]$parsedDate)
# $result = [DateTime]::ParseExact($dateString, $format, $provider)
Write-Host "`$result is $result"

The call to ParseExact works fine (if I uncomment it and comment out the call to TryParseExact).

What am I missing?

Thanks,

Ray

Are you trying this with PowerShell v1 or v2?

v2 complains:
Cannot find an overload for "TryParseExact" and the argument count: "5".
At line:1 char:36
+ $result = [DateTime]::TryParseExact <<<< ($dateString,$format, $provider,"None",[ref]$parsedDate)
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MethodCountCouldNotFindBest

Unfortunately, I think there are issues with v2's handling of constructor-type errors.

There's only 2 supported constructors for this method.

• Edited by Marco ShawModerator Thursday, January 14, 2010 4:47 PM typo

Are you trying this with PowerShell v1 or v2?

v2 complains:
Cannot find an overload for "TryParseExact" and the argument count: "5".
At line:1 char:36
+ $result = [DateTime]::TryParseExact <<<< ($dateString,$format, $provider,"None",[ref]$parsedDate)
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MethodCountCouldNotFindBest

Unfortunately, I think there are issues with v2's handling of constructor-type errors.

There's only 2 supported constructors for this method.

• Edited by Marco ShawModerator Thursday, January 14, 2010 4:47 PM typo

I can't get it to work, either.

Woud using try/catch with parseexact be a possible workaround?

I am using V2 under Win7 Ultimate.  And your error is the same as mine.  I've tried to be as explicit as possible with the input (i.e. supply real types vs. $null).

Ray;

Have you seen the PowerShell examples on the bottom of this page?
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/w2sa9yss.aspx

Karl

Karl,

Yep.  That's where I got the ParseExact example.  I couldn't find one anywhere using TryParseExact.

Ray

mjolinor,

I will play around with using try/catch around a call to ParseExact.  That sounds like it will allow me to accomplish the same thing.

Thanks,

Ray

Wow - I should learn to read - I though the example was TryParseExact - sorry about that.

Can you post the C# code you use?

Karl

You need to declase the [ref] not in the MethodCall but in the declaration of the variable like this :

[System.Globalization.CultureInfo]$provider = [System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture
$dateString = "Sun 15 Jun 2008 8:30 AM -06:00"
$format = "ddd dd MMM yyyy h:mm tt zzz"
[ref]$parsedDate = get-date
[DateTime]::TryParseExact($dateString, $format,$provider,[System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles]::None,$parseddate)
$parseddate

Greetings MOW

• Proposed as answer by Just KarlMicrosoft community contributor Friday, January 15, 2010 2:58 PM
• Marked as answer by raymegal2 Friday, January 15, 2010 4:27 PM

You need to declase the [ref] not in the MethodCall but in the declaration of the variable like this :

[System.Globalization.CultureInfo]$provider = [System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture
$dateString = "Sun 15 Jun 2008 8:30 AM -06:00"
$format = "ddd dd MMM yyyy h:mm tt zzz"
[ref]$parsedDate = get-date
[DateTime]::TryParseExact($dateString, $format,$provider,[System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles]::None,$parseddate)
$parseddate

Greetings MOW

• Proposed as answer by Just KarlMicrosoft community contributor Friday, January 15, 2010 2:58 PM
• Marked as answer by raymegal2 Friday, January 15, 2010 4:27 PM

MOW,

Very nice.  That did it.  Thanks!

Ray

Found this thread on my way to the solution I needed below.

What MOW has is definitely correct, but it makes the object type of $parseddate a powershell reference [System.Management.Automation.PSReference].  By making the small changes below, $parseddate will be of System.DateTime and allow all of the .NET DateTime methods/properties to be used.

[System.Globalization.CultureInfo]$provider = [System.Globalization.CultureInfo]::InvariantCulture
$dateString = "Sun 15 Jun 2008 8:30 AM -06:00"
$format = "ddd dd MMM yyyy h:mm tt zzz"
[System.DateTime]$parsedDate = get-date
[DateTime]::TryParseExact($dateString, $format,$provider,[System.Globalization.DateTimeStyles]::None,[ref]$parseddate)
$parseddate

How to use date parser in PowerShell:

$parsedDate=0 # create a variable to load into
if([DateTime]::TryParseExact('Sun 15 Jun 2008 8:30 AM -06:00', 'ddd dd MMM yyyy h:mm tt zzz',$null,'None',[ref]$parseddate)){
     $parseddate
}else{
     Write-Host 'Date string cannot be parsed'
}

This is convenient because it does not throw an exception.

In most cases this will work as required.

[DateTime]::Parse('Sun 15 Jun 2008 8:30 AM -06:00')

Try it.

This thread is very old and does not really apply well to Net Framework 2 and later.