Reputation: 6312

.net c# text box date with mask - setup

I have a c# .net project and want an input text box for a date value. I want it to display a default value of mm/dd/yyyy and then allow users to enter valid dates.

I have tried using a masked text box but it doesn't like having the above format.

If i try and use //____ looks naff and so does 00/00/0000 and of course if you put in '0' like 03/11/2009 you get 3/11/29 because the 0's are deleted as part of the mask.

What is the best way to set up an input box like this, effectively with a mask, only allowing numbers, and validation (though at this point I am not so worried about that).

This seems so simple and isn't.

Upvotes: 2

Answers (4)

Ashraf Sada

Reputation: 4905

Using masked text box for date is a headache, best to use DateTime.TryParseExact() with control validated event.

It will guarantee user input in correct format without too much coding, like in this example:

you need to use also a ToolTip to instruct the user to the correct input.

private void txtEntryDate_Validated(object sender, EventArgs e)
   {
     if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(txtEntryDate.Text))
       {
         DateTime entryDate;
        if (DateTime.TryParseExact(txtEntryDate.Text, "dd/MM/yyyy", CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, DateTimeStyles.None, out entryDate))
       {
         // further actions for validations
       }
       else
       {
       setTooltip(txtEntryDate, "txtEntryDate", "Invalid date format date must be formatted to dd/MM/yyyy");
                txtEntryDate.Focus();
        }
        }
        else
        {
        setTooltip(txtEntryDate, "txtEntryDate", "Please provide entry date in the format of dd/MM/yyyy");
        txtEntryDate.Focus();
        }
       }

and the ToolTip class:

private void setTooltip(Control Ctrl, string CtrlCaption, string ToolTipMsg)
        {
            ToolTip tt1 = new ToolTip();
            tt1.AutoPopDelay = 5000;
            tt1.InitialDelay = 1000;
            tt1.ReshowDelay = 500;
            tt1.ShowAlways = false;
            tt1.SetToolTip(Ctrl, CtrlCaption);
            tt1.Show(ToolTipMsg, Ctrl,5000);
        }

Upvotes: 0

Will Marcouiller

Reputation: 24132

Assuming Windows Forms, the DateTimePicker is the tool for the job.

Here is an example with the MaskedTextBox, but since you say it doesn't work...

Another good try, if you're using DataBinding, if by instantiating a Binding (Binding for WPF) class and handling its Parse and Format events (these don't seem to exist in WPF, but there must be some way).

In short:

Binding b = new Binding("Text", BindingSourceInstance, "data.DateCreated");
b.Parse += new EventHandler(b_Parse);
b.Format += new EventHandler(b_Format);

private void b_Format(object sender, ConvertEventArgs e) {
    if (e.DesiredType != typeof(DateTime)) return;

    e.Value.ToString("dd/MM/yyyy");
    // Or you may prefer some other variants:
    // e.Value.ToShortDateString();
    // e.Value.ToLongDateString();
    // e.Value.ToString("dd/MM/yyyy", CultureInfo.CurrentCulture.DateTimeInfo.ShortDatePattern);
}

private void b_Parse(object sender, ConvertEventArgs e) {
    // Choose whether you to handle perhaps bad input formats...

    e.Value = DateTime.Parse(e.Value, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture); // The CultureInfo here may be whatever you choose.
}

Upvotes: 0