DateTimeOffset.Compare(DateTimeOffset, DateTimeOffset) Method

Definition

Compares two DateTimeOffset objects and indicates whether the first is earlier than the second, equal to the second, or later than the second.

public static int Compare (DateTimeOffset first, DateTimeOffset second);

Parameters

first
DateTimeOffset

The first object to compare.

second
DateTimeOffset

The second object to compare.

Returns

A signed integer that indicates whether the value of the first parameter is earlier than, later than, or the same time as the value of the second parameter, as the following table shows.

Return value Meaning
Less than zero first is earlier than second.
Zero first is equal to second.
Greater than zero first is later than second.

Examples

The following example illustrates calls to the Compare method to compare DateTimeOffset objects.

using System;

public class CompareTimes
{
   private enum TimeComparison
   {
      Earlier = -1,
      Same = 0,
      Later = 1
   };

   public static void Main()
   {
      DateTimeOffset firstTime = new DateTimeOffset(2007, 9, 1, 6, 45, 0,
                                 new TimeSpan(-7, 0, 0));

      DateTimeOffset secondTime = firstTime;
      Console.WriteLine("Comparing {0} and {1}: {2}",
                        firstTime, secondTime,
                        (TimeComparison) DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime));

      secondTime = new DateTimeOffset(2007, 9, 1, 6, 45, 0,
                       new TimeSpan(-6, 0, 0));
      Console.WriteLine("Comparing {0} and {1}: {2}",
                       firstTime, secondTime,
                       (TimeComparison) DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime));

      secondTime = new DateTimeOffset(2007, 9, 1, 8, 45, 0,
                       new TimeSpan(-5, 0, 0));
      Console.WriteLine("Comparing {0} and {1}: {2}",
                       firstTime, secondTime,
                       (TimeComparison) DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime));
      // The example displays the following output to the console:
      //       Comparing 9/1/2007 6:45:00 AM -07:00 and 9/1/2007 6:45:00 AM -07:00: Same
      //       Comparing 9/1/2007 6:45:00 AM -07:00 and 9/1/2007 6:45:00 AM -06:00: Later
      //       Comparing 9/1/2007 6:45:00 AM -07:00 and 9/1/2007 8:45:00 AM -05:00: Same
   }
}

Remarks

In performing the comparison, the method converts both the first and the second parameters to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) before it performs the comparison. The method is equivalent to the following:

return DateTime.Compare(first.UtcDateTime, second.UtcDateTime);

In other words, the Compare method determines whether two DateTimeOffset objects represent a single point in time. It directly compares neither dates and times nor offsets.

Applies to

Product Versions
.NET Core 1.0, Core 1.1, Core 2.0, Core 2.1, Core 2.2, Core 3.0, Core 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8, 4.8.1
.NET Standard 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.1
UWP 10.0