TimeSpan.CompareTo Method

Definition

Compares this instance to a specified object or TimeSpan object and returns an integer that indicates whether this instance is shorter than, equal to, or longer than the specified object or TimeSpan object.

Overloads

CompareTo(Object)

Compares this instance to a specified object and returns an integer that indicates whether this instance is shorter than, equal to, or longer than the specified object.

CompareTo(TimeSpan)

Compares this instance to a specified TimeSpan object and returns an integer that indicates whether this instance is shorter than, equal to, or longer than the TimeSpan object.

Remarks

The two overloads of the CompareTo method return a signed number that indicates the relative value of this instance and the value argument, as shown in the following table.

Value Description
Less than zero This instance is shorter than value.
Zero This instance is the same as value.
Greater than zero This instance is longer than value.

CompareTo(Object)

Source:
TimeSpan.cs
Source:
TimeSpan.cs
Source:
TimeSpan.cs

Compares this instance to a specified object and returns an integer that indicates whether this instance is shorter than, equal to, or longer than the specified object.

C#
public int CompareTo(object? value);
C#
public int CompareTo(object value);

Parameters

value
Object

An object to compare, or null.

Returns

One of the following values.

Value Description
-1 This instance is shorter than value.
0 This instance is equal to value.
1 This instance is longer than value, or value is null.

Implements

Exceptions

value is not a TimeSpan.

Examples

The following example compares several TimeSpan structures and other objects to a reference TimeSpan structure using the CompareTo method.

C#
// Example of the TimeSpan.CompareTo( Object ) and 
// TimeSpan.Equals( Object ) methods.
using System;

class TSCompToEqualsObjDemo
{
    // Compare the TimeSpan to the Object parameters, 
    // and display the Object parameters with the results.
    static void CompTimeSpanToObject( TimeSpan Left, object Right, 
        string RightText )
    {
        Console.WriteLine( "{0,-33}{1}", "Object: " + RightText, 
            Right );
        Console.WriteLine( "{0,-33}{1}", "Left.Equals( Object )", 
            Left.Equals( Right ) );
        Console.Write( "{0,-33}", "Left.CompareTo( Object )" );

        // Catch the exception if CompareTo( ) throws one.
        try
        {
            Console.WriteLine( "{0}\n", Left.CompareTo( Right ) );
        }
        catch( Exception ex )
        {
            Console.WriteLine( "Error: {0}\n", ex.Message );
        }
    }

    static void Main( )
    {
        TimeSpan Left = new TimeSpan( 0, 5, 0 );

        Console.WriteLine(
            "This example of the TimeSpan.Equals( Object ) " +
            "and \nTimeSpan.CompareTo( Object ) methods generates " +
            "the \nfollowing output by creating several different " +
            "TimeSpan \nobjects and comparing them with a " +
            "5-minute TimeSpan.\n" );
        Console.WriteLine( "{0,-33}{1}\n", 
            "Left: TimeSpan( 0, 5, 0 )", Left );

        // Create objects to compare with a 5-minute TimeSpan.
        CompTimeSpanToObject( Left, new TimeSpan( 0, 0, 300 ), 
            "TimeSpan( 0, 0, 300 )" );
        CompTimeSpanToObject( Left, new TimeSpan( 0, 5, 1 ), 
            "TimeSpan( 0, 5, 1 )" );
        CompTimeSpanToObject( Left, new TimeSpan( 0, 5, -1 ), 
            "TimeSpan( 0, 5, -1 )" );
        CompTimeSpanToObject( Left, new TimeSpan( 3000000000 ), 
            "TimeSpan( 3000000000 )" );
        CompTimeSpanToObject( Left, 3000000000L, 
            "long 3000000000L" );
        CompTimeSpanToObject( Left, "00:05:00", 
            "string \"00:05:00\"" );
    } 
} 

/*
This example of the TimeSpan.Equals( Object ) and
TimeSpan.CompareTo( Object ) methods generates the
following output by creating several different TimeSpan
objects and comparing them with a 5-minute TimeSpan.

Left: TimeSpan( 0, 5, 0 )        00:05:00

Object: TimeSpan( 0, 0, 300 )    00:05:00
Left.Equals( Object )            True
Left.CompareTo( Object )         0

Object: TimeSpan( 0, 5, 1 )      00:05:01
Left.Equals( Object )            False
Left.CompareTo( Object )         -1

Object: TimeSpan( 0, 5, -1 )     00:04:59
Left.Equals( Object )            False
Left.CompareTo( Object )         1

Object: TimeSpan( 3000000000 )   00:05:00
Left.Equals( Object )            True
Left.CompareTo( Object )         0

Object: long 3000000000L         3000000000
Left.Equals( Object )            False
Left.CompareTo( Object )         Error: Object must be of type TimeSpan.

Object: string "00:05:00"        00:05:00
Left.Equals( Object )            False
Left.CompareTo( Object )         Error: Object must be of type TimeSpan.
*/

Remarks

Any instance of TimeSpan, regardless of its value, is considered greater than null.

The value parameter must be an instance of TimeSpan or null; otherwise, an exception is thrown.

See also

Applies to

.NET 9 and other versions
Product Versions
.NET Core 2.0, Core 2.1, Core 2.2, Core 3.0, Core 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
.NET Framework 1.1, 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 2.0, 2.1

CompareTo(TimeSpan)

Source:
TimeSpan.cs
Source:
TimeSpan.cs
Source:
TimeSpan.cs

Compares this instance to a specified TimeSpan object and returns an integer that indicates whether this instance is shorter than, equal to, or longer than the TimeSpan object.

C#
public int CompareTo(TimeSpan value);

Parameters

value
TimeSpan

An object to compare to this instance.

Returns

A signed number indicating the relative values of this instance and value.

Value Description
A negative integer This instance is shorter than value.
Zero This instance is equal to value.
A positive integer This instance is longer than value.

Implements

Examples

The following example demonstrates generic and nongeneric versions of the CompareTo method for several value and reference types.

C#
// This example demonstrates the generic and non-generic versions of the
// CompareTo method for several base types.
// The non-generic version takes a parameter of type Object, while the generic
// version takes a type-specific parameter, such as Boolean, Int32, or Double.

using System;

class Sample
{
    public static void Main()
    {
    string    nl = Environment.NewLine;
    string    msg = "{0}The following is the result of using the generic and non-generic{0}" +
                    "versions of the CompareTo method for several base types:{0}";

    DateTime  now = DateTime.Now;
// Time span = 11 days, 22 hours, 33 minutes, 44 seconds
    TimeSpan  tsX = new TimeSpan(11, 22, 33, 44);
// Version = 1.2.333.4
    Version   versX = new Version("1.2.333.4");
// Guid = CA761232-ED42-11CE-BACD-00AA0057B223
    Guid      guidX = new Guid("{CA761232-ED42-11CE-BACD-00AA0057B223}");

    Boolean  a1 = true,  a2 = true;
    Byte     b1 = 1,     b2 = 1;
    Int16    c1 = -2,    c2 = 2;
    Int32    d1 = 3,     d2 = 3;
    Int64    e1 = 4,     e2 = -4;
    Decimal  f1 = -5.5m, f2 = 5.5m;
    Single   g1 = 6.6f,  g2 = 6.6f;
    Double   h1 = 7.7d,  h2 = -7.7d;
    Char     i1 = 'A',   i2 = 'A';
    String   j1 = "abc", j2 = "abc";
    DateTime k1 = now,   k2 = now;
    TimeSpan l1 = tsX,   l2 = tsX;
    Version  m1 = versX, m2 = new Version("2.0");
    Guid     n1 = guidX, n2 = guidX;

// The following types are not CLS-compliant.
    SByte    w1 = 8,     w2 = 8;
    UInt16   x1 = 9,     x2 = 9;
    UInt32   y1 = 10,    y2 = 10;
    UInt64   z1 = 11,    z2 = 11;
//
    Console.WriteLine(msg, nl);
    try
        {
// The second and third Show method call parameters are automatically boxed because
// the second and third Show method declaration arguments expect type Object.

        Show("Boolean:  ", a1, a2, a1.CompareTo(a2), a1.CompareTo((Object)a2));
        Show("Byte:     ", b1, b2, b1.CompareTo(b2), b1.CompareTo((Object)b2));
        Show("Int16:    ", c1, c2, c1.CompareTo(c2), c1.CompareTo((Object)c2));
        Show("Int32:    ", d1, d2, d1.CompareTo(d2), d1.CompareTo((Object)d2));
        Show("Int64:    ", e1, e2, e1.CompareTo(e2), e1.CompareTo((Object)e2));
        Show("Decimal:  ", f1, f2, f1.CompareTo(f2), f1.CompareTo((Object)f2));
        Show("Single:   ", g1, g2, g1.CompareTo(g2), g1.CompareTo((Object)g2));
        Show("Double:   ", h1, h2, h1.CompareTo(h2), h1.CompareTo((Object)h2));
        Show("Char:     ", i1, i2, i1.CompareTo(i2), i1.CompareTo((Object)i2));
        Show("String:   ", j1, j2, j1.CompareTo(j2), j1.CompareTo((Object)j2));
        Show("DateTime: ", k1, k2, k1.CompareTo(k2), k1.CompareTo((Object)k2));
        Show("TimeSpan: ", l1, l2, l1.CompareTo(l2), l1.CompareTo((Object)l2));
        Show("Version:  ", m1, m2, m1.CompareTo(m2), m1.CompareTo((Object)m2));
        Show("Guid:     ", n1, n2, n1.CompareTo(n2), n1.CompareTo((Object)n2));
//
        Console.WriteLine("{0}The following types are not CLS-compliant:", nl);
        Show("SByte:    ", w1, w2, w1.CompareTo(w2), w1.CompareTo((Object)w2));
        Show("UInt16:   ", x1, x2, x1.CompareTo(x2), x1.CompareTo((Object)x2));
        Show("UInt32:   ", y1, y2, y1.CompareTo(y2), y1.CompareTo((Object)y2));
        Show("UInt64:   ", z1, z2, z1.CompareTo(z2), z1.CompareTo((Object)z2));
        }
    catch (Exception e)
        {
        Console.WriteLine(e);
        }
    }

    public static void Show(string caption, Object var1, Object var2,
                            int resultGeneric, int resultNonGeneric)
    {
    string relation;

    Console.Write(caption);
    if (resultGeneric == resultNonGeneric)
        {
        if      (resultGeneric < 0) relation = "less than";
        else if (resultGeneric > 0) relation = "greater than";
        else                        relation = "equal to";
        Console.WriteLine("{0} is {1} {2}", var1, relation, var2);
        }

// The following condition will never occur because the generic and non-generic
// CompareTo methods are equivalent.

    else
        {
        Console.WriteLine("Generic CompareTo = {0}; non-generic CompareTo = {1}",
                           resultGeneric, resultNonGeneric);
        }
   }
}
/*
This example produces the following results:

The following is the result of using the generic and non-generic versions of the
CompareTo method for several base types:

Boolean:  True is equal to True
Byte:     1 is equal to 1
Int16:    -2 is less than 2
Int32:    3 is equal to 3
Int64:    4 is greater than -4
Decimal:  -5.5 is less than 5.5
Single:   6.6 is equal to 6.6
Double:   7.7 is greater than -7.7
Char:     A is equal to A
String:   abc is equal to abc
DateTime: 12/1/2003 5:37:46 PM is equal to 12/1/2003 5:37:46 PM
TimeSpan: 11.22:33:44 is equal to 11.22:33:44
Version:  1.2.333.4 is less than 2.0
Guid:     ca761232-ed42-11ce-bacd-00aa0057b223 is equal to ca761232-ed42-11ce-bacd-00
aa0057b223

The following types are not CLS-compliant:
SByte:    8 is equal to 8
UInt16:   9 is equal to 9
UInt32:   10 is equal to 10
UInt64:   11 is equal to 11
*/

Remarks

This method implements the System.IComparable<T> interface and performs slightly better than the TimeSpan.CompareTo method because it does not have to convert the value parameter to an object.

Applies to

.NET 9 and other versions
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