DateTime.CompareTo Method (DateTime)

Parameters

• value
  Type: System.DateTime
  The object to compare to this instance.

Return Value

Type: System.Int32
A signed integer that indicates the relationship between this instance and the value parameter, as shown in the following table.

Option Strict On

Module Example
   Private Enum DateComparisonResult
      Earlier = -1
      Later = 1
      TheSame = 0
   End Enum

   Public Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)

      Dim thisDate As Date = Date.Today

      ' Define two DateTime objects for today's date 
      ' next year and last year     
      Dim thisDateNextYear, thisDateLastYear As Date

      ' Call AddYears instance method to add/substract 1 year
      thisDateNextYear = thisDate.AddYears(1)
      thisDateLastYear = thisDate.AddYears(-1)


      ' Compare dates
      '
      Dim comparison As DateComparisonResult
      ' Compare today to last year
      comparison = CType(thisDate.CompareTo(thisDateLastYear), DateComparisonResult)
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("CompareTo method returns {0}: {1:d} is {2} than {3:d}", _
                        CInt(comparison), thisDate, comparison.ToString().ToLower(), _
                        thisDateLastYear) + vbCrLf

      ' Compare today to next year
      comparison = CType(thisDate.CompareTo(thisDateNextYear), DateComparisonResult)
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("CompareTo method returns {0}: {1:d} is {2} than {3:d}", _
                        CInt(comparison), thisDate, comparison.ToString().ToLower(), _
                        thisDateNextYear) + vbCrLf
   End Sub
End Module
'
' If run on October 20, 2006, the example produces the following output:
'    CompareTo method returns 1: 10/20/2006 is later than 10/20/2005
'    CompareTo method returns -1: 10/20/2006 is earlier than 10/20/2007

using System;

public class Example
{
   private enum DateComparisonResult
   {
      Earlier = -1,
      Later = 1,
      TheSame = 0
   };

   public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
   {
      DateTime thisDate = DateTime.Today;


      // Define two DateTime objects for today's date 
      // next year and last year        
      DateTime thisDateNextYear, thisDateLastYear;

      // Call AddYears instance method to add/substract 1 year
      thisDateNextYear = thisDate.AddYears(1);
      thisDateLastYear = thisDate.AddYears(-1);

      // Compare dates
      //
      DateComparisonResult comparison;
      // Compare today to last year
      comparison = (DateComparisonResult)thisDate.CompareTo(thisDateLastYear);
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("CompareTo method returns {0}: {1:d} is {2} than {3:d}",
                        (int)comparison, thisDate, comparison.ToString().ToLower(),
                        thisDateLastYear) + "\n";

      // Compare today to next year
      comparison = (DateComparisonResult)thisDate.CompareTo(thisDateNextYear);
      outputBlock.Text += String.Format("CompareTo method returns {0}: {1:d} is {2} than {3:d}",
                        (int)comparison, thisDate, comparison.ToString().ToLower(),
                        thisDateNextYear) + "\n";
   }
}
//
// If run on October 20, 2006, the example produces the following output:
//    CompareTo method returns 1: 10/20/2006 is later than 10/20/2005
//    CompareTo method returns -1: 10/20/2006 is earlier than 10/20/2007