Simple format question

[Mindset]

DateTime date2 = DateTime.Now;
	System.TimeSpan diff =( date2 - tradetimex);

There must be a simple way to put the above timespan into a string("t")fomat - but I have tried for 2 hours and I just can't do it!!

My workaround currently involves separating diff into it's component hours,mins and seconds and then re stringing them all together which seems
very long winded.

I know this is unsupported by NT but perhaps someone from the community could assist/show me?

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Hi Mindset, did you already check the ideas provided in this tip? - http://www.ninjatrader-support2.com/...ead.php?t=3823

[Mindset]

Issues

Bertrand
Thanks I did look there.

string newtime = diff; gives an implicit conversion error
string newtime = diff.Hours gives me a single component of the timespan .
What I require is the whole timespan in a short time format

eg 1:03:17

If I make newtime an integer it compiles but the string won't output.

I looked at msdn and found there is a ToString and Parse overrides but I couldn't get them to work. Only been coding for 4 months.
Seems so simple.

[NinjaTrader_Bertrand]

Have you tried - string newtime = diff.ToString();

[Mindset]

getting somewhere

DateTime date2 = DateTime.Now;
System.TimeSpan diff =( date2 - tradetimex);
TimeSpan lapse = diff.Duration();
string lapsedTime = lapse.ToString();
lapsedTime = lapsedTime.Substring(0,lapsedTime.LastIndexOf("."));

Right this gives me the time but I have 4 digits in my seconds area?.

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

You will need to format it yourself. Using ToString() already brings it to a string. It is just string manipulation after that.

[Mindset]

can't override the ToString()

that's what I thought Josh!

If I try lapsedTime("t") or lapsedTime("hh:mm:ss") neither works due to an invalid argument and that I can't convert from a string to SystemIFormatProvider?

[NinjaTrader_JoshP]

Mindset,

You likely can't format it like that. Your string consists of 00:00:00 or similar. These are not numbers already. You will need to cut/splice/etc. to get it the way you want it.

[Mindset]

Outcome

In the end it would appear you do as much mucking about with the string as my original code so I shall stick with that.
I still don't see why the seconds element comes out as 4 digits but life is too short to worry about it and you never know maybe some bright spark will come up with a more elegant solution.
In the meantime I post my clunky solution below.

DateTime date2 = DateTime.Now;
System.TimeSpan diff = date2.Subtract(tradetimex);
StringBuilder dBox = new StringBuilder();
if(diff.Hours > 0)
{
dBox.Append(diff.Hours+ "h:");// ie if zero don't show
}

if(diff.Minutes <10)
{
dBox.Append("0");// adds "0" to mins < 10
}				
			
dBoxLine2.Append(diff.Minutes+"m:");
			
if(diff.Seconds <10)
{
dBox.Append("0");// as above
}