DateTimeOffset.Compare(DateTimeOffset, DateTimeOffset) Method

Definition

Namespace:

System

Assembly:

System.Runtime.dll

Source:

DateTimeOffset.cs

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);

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

static member Compare : DateTimeOffset * DateTimeOffset -> int

Public Shared Function Compare (first As DateTimeOffset, second As DateTimeOffset) As Integer

Parameters

first

DateTimeOffset

The first object to compare.

second

DateTimeOffset

The second object to compare.

Returns

Int32

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
   }
}

open System

type TimeComparison =
    | Earlier = -1
    | Same = 0
    | Later = 1

let firstTime = DateTimeOffset(2007, 9, 1, 6, 45, 0, TimeSpan(-7, 0, 0))

let secondTime = firstTime
printfn $"Comparing {firstTime} and {secondTime}: {DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime) |> enum<TimeComparison>}"

let thirdTime = DateTimeOffset(2007, 9, 1, 6, 45, 0, TimeSpan(-6, 0, 0))
printfn $"Comparing {firstTime} and {thirdTime}: {DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, thirdTime) |> enum<TimeComparison>}"

let fourthTime = DateTimeOffset(2007, 9, 1, 8, 45, 0, TimeSpan(-5, 0, 0))
printfn $"Comparing {firstTime} and {fourthTime}: {DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, fourthTime) |> enum<TimeComparison>}"

// 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

Module CompareTimes
   Private Enum TimeComparison As Integer
      Earlier = -1
      Same = 0
      Later = 1
   End Enum
      
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim firstTime As New DateTimeOffset(#09/01/2007 6:45:00AM#, _
                       New TimeSpan(-7, 0, 0))
  
      Dim secondTime As DateTimeOffset = firstTime
      Console.WriteLine("Comparing {0} and {1}: {2}", _
                        firstTime, secondTime, _
                        CType(DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime), _
                              TimeComparison))

      secondTime = New DateTimeOffset(#09/01/2007 6:45:00AM#, _
                       New TimeSpan(-6, 0, 0))      
      Console.WriteLine("Comparing {0} and {1}: {2}", _
                       firstTime, secondTime, _
                       CType(DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime), _
                             TimeComparison))
      
      secondTime = New DateTimeOffset(#09/01/2007 8:45:00AM#, _
                       New TimeSpan(-5, 0, 0))
      Console.WriteLine("Comparing {0} and {1}: {2}", _
                       firstTime, secondTime, _
                       CType(DateTimeOffset.Compare(firstTime, secondTime), _
                             TimeComparison))
      ' 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      
   End Sub
End Module

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);

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

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.