Re: datetimepicker format for entire application!! - C# Discussion Boards

26-Dec-09 20:37

after adding a key in app.config for format

i tried this, in the Main method

CultureInfo culture = (CultureInfo)CultureInfo.CurrentCulture.Clone();
           culture.DateTimeFormat.ShortDatePattern = "dd-MMM-yyyy";
           culture.DateTimeFormat.LongTimePattern = "";
           Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = culture;

i was able to change pattern for short date, but what i want is that the datetimepicker format's property defaults
to what i set in config file.

like if i set the datetime format in config file to Long the rule will applay to entire application.

do i have to check and change manually for each control.

thanks

modified on Sunday, December 27, 2009 2:46 AM

#realJSOP27-Dec-09 1:52

#realJSOP

27-Dec-09 1:52

You could:

0) You could override the DateTime class with your own

1) You could setup a static method in your application that does it for you.

2) You could simply specify a string constant and use it when you call DateTime.ToString()

3) You could setup the culture object you've already got there as static, and the rest of the app could use it. (You would have to initialize it from the config file via a static method as well.

I would probably go with #3 myself.

.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
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Luc Pattyn27-Dec-09 2:03

Luc Pattyn

27-Dec-09 2:03

#3 is fine
#0 isn't, as DateTime is sealed.

Smile | :)

Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Hussam Fattahi27-Dec-09 20:02

27-Dec-09 20:02

thanks for reply
first:
as i mentioned in my question, i was able to change the pattern of the format, not the format property

for option 2: it does not work for me, because i am actually showing the date in the datetimepicker
not into textbox control, so i'm not using DateTime.ToString()

for option 3:
do you mean that i have to access the static cultureinfo object every time i need to to display the date in
datetimepicker

or do i have to change the format manually in each datetimepicker contro on my form based on the cultureInfi
properties

excuse my bad english

thanks for the reply again

#realJSOP27-Dec-09 23:58

#realJSOP

27-Dec-09 23:58

Hussam Fattahi wrote:
for option 3:
do you mean that i have to access the static cultureinfo object every time i need to to display the date in
datetimepicker

I don't know. I've never had to do what you're trying to do. Experiment with it. The benefit of creating a static culture object is that you don't have to recreate it every time you need it. It's always there, and it's always the same. I suspect that you can get away with setting the control when the form is constructed, and then forget about it.

Hussam Fattahi28-Dec-09 2:14

28-Dec-09 2:14

John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
I suspect that you can get away with setting the control when the form is constructed, and then forget about it.

yes, i can do that, but then i have to put it in each form in my application.

i'm looking if there is a way to do it globaly
do it in one place and this is it for the whole application

thanks anyway

#realJSOP28-Dec-09 4:38

#realJSOP

28-Dec-09 4:38

Well, you could derive your own datetime control from the .Net DateTimePicker class, and set it in the constructor, but then you'd have to remember to use YOUR datetimepicker control instead of .Net's version...

If it were me, I would probably just take the easy way out and set the custom format on each control that needed it, and be done with it.

ProtoBytes28-Dec-09 12:22

ProtoBytes

28-Dec-09 12:22

Hmm,

You could also create an Extension method if you are using .NET 3.5 or better.

Hussam Fattahi28-Dec-09 22:23

Re: datetimepicker format for entire application!! [Extension Method]

28-Dec-09 22:23

what do you mean by extension method?

ProtoBytes29-Dec-09 3:14

ProtoBytes

29-Dec-09 3:14

Well, an extension method is a new method declaration in 3.5 and above. Think of it as sort of a helper method and overload at the same time.

From MSDN:

'Extension methods enable you to "add" methods to existing types without creating a new derived type, recompiling, or otherwise modifying the original type. Extension methods are a special kind of static method, but they are called as if they were instance methods on the extended type. For client code written in C# and Visual Basic, there is no apparent difference between calling an extension method and the methods that are actually defined in a type.'

Example:

namespace ExtensionMethods
{
    public static class MyExtensions
    {
        public static int WordCount(this String str)
        {
            return str.Split(new char[] { ' ', '.', '?' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries).Length;
        }
    }   
}

In this example the extension method is WordCount which returns an int, and can be called using the construct:

String myString = "Hello World";
int count = myString.WordCount();

If you look at the string class you won't find a 'WordCount' method, it has been made a 'custom extension' of the string class.

So for your date picker you could create extension methods and customize the class how ever you would like with out inheritance etc.

Some good Extension Method Resources:

Extension Methods (C# Programming Guide)[^]

C# .NET Extension Methods 3.0[^]

I have run into this problem with the DateTimePicker and used this type of solution to solve the problem.

additionally if you do use an extension method for the DateTimePicker you can name it so the code reflects the fact that you have made a specialization to the date time returned. Ie. DateTimePicker.MyDateTime();

I think Luc has an article on this geared for the DateTime class.
~TheArch

Re: datetimepicker format for entire application!! [Extension Method]

elizas7-Jun-10 1:24

elizas

7-Jun-10 1:24

ASP.net Ajax Control Toolkit Color Picker Extender have a SampleControlID property, that shows the selected color's hexadecimal color code value for further use. But some time for better ui visibility need, if you don't want that hexadecimal color code to appear in the same control, then here is the way to do that.

In this sample code below:
I used a TextBox (txtColor) as ColorPickerExtender's SampleControlID and TargetControlID.
I used a ImageButton(ibtnCollorPicker) with ColorPickerExtender's PopupButtonID.

Now, when I click on the ibtnCollorPicker, this will show the colorpicker. Any color selection done, will show the hexa value in the txtColor.
Method 1: (Mostly Used By Developers)

On color selection, the selected color of color picker becomes the both the fore color and background color of the textbox. So since the hexa value does not appear directly.

<asp:TextBox ID="txtColor" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
<asp:ImageButton ID="ibtnCollorPicker" runat="server" ImageUrl="~/Images/color_button.png"
ToolTip="Pick Color"></asp:ImageButton>

<cc:ColorPickerExtender ID="txtColor_ColorPickerExtender" runat="server"

http://www.mindfiresolutions.com/Hiding-hexadecimal-color-code-in-ColorPickerExtenders-Sample-Control-679.php[^]
TargetControlID="txtColor" SampleControlID="txtColor"
OnClientColorSelectionChanged="changeColor"
PopupButtonID="ibtnCollorPicker">
</cc:ColorPickerExtender>

function changeColor(sender)
{
sender.get_element().style.color = sender.get_selectedColor();

}

It works fine but it has a small issue. After selection, if you highlight textbox text with the help of mouse, then the hexa value will appear again.
Method 2 contains solution of this.

Cheers,
Eliza

printing capability

Ryan Minor26-Dec-09 19:55

Ryan Minor

26-Dec-09 19:55

Hi All

Most applications need the ability to print reports of one sort or another.

Printing classes are tedious and difficult to program.

I am wondering: what do people on here do when you need printing capabilites (for reports etc)?

dan!sh 26-Dec-09 20:12

dan!sh

26-Dec-09 20:12

Ryan Minor wrote:
Printing classes are tedious and difficult to program.

Initially one might feel that way but not once you get hold of them.

Ryan Minor wrote:
what do people on here do when you need printing capabilites (for reports etc)?

Depends on the need. Use crystal reports or SSRS if possible or else go with the Printing classes available.

50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong...!!

Ben Fair28-Dec-09 10:24

Ben Fair

28-Dec-09 10:24

I go with SSRS, it has all the functionality built-in that we need for all the projects I've worked on. It's also nice to have a separate Report project and be able to develop the Reports in VS2005.

Hold on a second here... Don't you think you might be putting the horse ahead of the cart?

MumbleB26-Dec-09 20:47

MumbleB

26-Dec-09 20:47

Like d@nish says, it could be a daunting task at the begining but once you have written it once you can re-use it over and over again all the time. I wroyte my own some time ago when I needed one and I just add the class into my new projects now. Took a while to get it written but once I got it working it is great.

Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.