TimeSpan.ToString() return string like (d:hh:mm:ss)

Question

TimeSpan Ts = new TimeSpan(5, 4, 3, 2);
return Ts.ToString("?");

What expression should I replace with a question mark to get this format: 5d:4h:3m:2s ?

Javanese

you can accomplish this using your code and formatting TimeSpan Ts = new TimeSpan(5, 4, 3, 2); var RetValue = string.Format("{0}d:{1}h:{2}m:{3}s",Ts.Days,Ts.Hours,Ts.Milliseconds, Ts.Seconds); – Opening

Answer 1

TimeSpan timeSpan = new TimeSpan(5, 4, 3, 2);
string str = timeSpan.ToString(@"d\d\:h\h\:m\m\:s\s", System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);

See Custom TimeSpan Format Strings on how to format TimeSpans.

Though note that negative TimeSpans cannot be distinguished from positive ones. They appear like they have been negated. Therefor -new TimeSpan(5,4,3,2) will still show as 5d:4h:3m:2s. If you want negative numbers to display, you should format your own numbers though the properties of TimeSpan.

Peculiarity

There is no need to escape all characters of your format string. Escaping \. and \: is enough. – Shantishantung

Mosh wanted parts postfixed with its corresponding part, so for his usecase its required. If you just want 12:34:45, then escaping is not required. – Peculiarity

You are right. Sorry. I did not read the question the the very end. – Shantishantung

Answer 2

You can accomplish this by using your current code

TimeSpan Ts = new TimeSpan(5, 4, 3, 2);
var RetValue = string.Format("{0}d:{1}h:{2}m:{3}s",
    Ts.Days,
    Ts.Hours,
    Ts.Minutes,
    Ts.Seconds);

yields this as a formatted result "5d:4h:0m:2s"

Opening

Answer 3

This works for me

"d'd:'h'h:'m'm:'s's'"

Found here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee372287.aspx

Diplostemonous

This is incredibly helpful (especially in gridview). Thank you very much! – Nephrectomy

Answer 4

Here's a TimeSpan Extension method that will hide empty large time parts.

public static string ToShortString(this TimeSpan Ts)
{
    if(Ts.TotalDays > 1d)
        return Ts.ToString("d'd:'h'h:'m'm:'s's'");

    if(Ts.TotalHours > 1d)
        return Ts.ToString("h'h:'m'm:'s's'");

    if(Ts.TotalMinutes > 1d)
        return Ts.ToString("m'm:'s's'");

    if(Ts.TotalSeconds > 1d)
        return Ts.ToString("s's'");

    if(Ts.TotalMilliseconds > 1d)
        return Ts.ToString("fffffff'ms'");

    return Ts.ToString();
}

Cobblestone