Solving the StrToDateTime Issue in Delphi 11

Discover how to fix the `StrToDateTime` functionality in Delphi 11.3, overcoming exceptions and ensuring your date-time conversion works smoothly.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/76235846/ asked by the user 'kkrajnc' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/9346699/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/76235961/ provided by the user 'Uwe Raabe' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/26833/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Solving the StrToDateTime Issue in Delphi 11: A Comprehensive Guide

As developers, we often rely on reliable libraries and functions to manage our applications. One such function in Delphi, StrToDateTime, has been a staple for converting strings into date-time objects. However, the transition to Delphi 11.3 has brought about an unexpected hurdle. Developers are raising questions about whether StrToDateTime is broken. In this post, we will dive into the issue and provide a clear solution to this problem.

The Problem with StrToDateTime in Delphi 11.3

In previous versions like Delphi 10.4 and older, developers could conveniently use StrToDateTime with custom format settings to parse strings into date-time values. The unexpected change in Delphi 11.3 prompted an exception when calling this function with specific formatting:

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Example of the Issue

Let’s look at the code that illustrates this problem:

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When this code runs, it results in an exception, leading many developers to wonder if the functionality of StrToDateTime has, in fact, broken.

The Solution: Adjusting Your FormatSettings

While it appears that StrToDateTime has issues, the reality is, the function still works but requires a slight adjustment in how we define our date and time formats.

Correcting Your Format Settings

According to the findings from the community, the key to resolving the EConvertError exception is simple: you need to separate the date and time formats into two distinct properties.

Here’s how you should set your FormatSettings:

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Final Implementation

Putting everything together, your revised ConvertDate procedure should look like this:

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Key Takeaways

Understand the Changes: Recognize that StrToDateTime still functions well in Delphi 11.3, but it requires a format adjustment.

Separate Formats: Always use ShortDateFormat exclusively for date and LongTimeFormat for time to avoid exceptions.

Testing: Be sure to test your updated code to confirm it correctly converts the string to the desired TDateTime object.

Conclusion

The transition to Delphi 11.3 might have introduced a few hurdles regarding date-time conversions, but with the correct use of format settings, you can resolve the issue effectively. By ensuring that the date and time formats are handled separately, we can maintain the functionality of StrToDateTime without further troubles.

Feel free to share your experiences and any additional tips for working with date-time conversions in Delphi below!