[powershell] Convert a string to datetime in PowerShell

Chris Dents' answer has already covered the OPs' question but seeing as this was the top search on google for PowerShell format string as date I thought I'd give a different string example.


If like me, you get the time string like this 20190720170000.000000+000

An important thing to note is you need to use ToUniversalTime() when using [System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter] otherwise you get offset times against your input.

PS Code

cls
Write-Host "This example is for the 24hr clock with HH"
Write-Host "ToUniversalTime() must be used when using [System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]"
$my_date_24hr_time   = "20190720170000.000000+000"
$date_format         = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm"
[System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]::ToDateTime($my_date_24hr_time).ToUniversalTime();
[System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]::ToDateTime($my_date_24hr_time).ToUniversalTime().ToSTring($date_format)
[datetime]::ParseExact($my_date_24hr_time,"yyyyMMddHHmmss.000000+000",$null).ToSTring($date_format)
Write-Host
Write-Host "-----------------------------"
Write-Host
Write-Host "This example is for the am pm clock with hh"
Write-Host "Again, ToUniversalTime() must be used when using [System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]"
Write-Host
$my_date_ampm_time   = "20190720110000.000000+000"
[System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]::ToDateTime($my_date_ampm_time).ToUniversalTime();
[System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]::ToDateTime($my_date_ampm_time).ToUniversalTime().ToSTring($date_format)
[datetime]::ParseExact($my_date_ampm_time,"yyyyMMddhhmmss.000000+000",$null).ToSTring($date_format)

Output

This example is for the 24hr clock with HH
ToUniversalTime() must be used when using [System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]

20 July 2019 17:00:00
2019-07-20 17:00
2019-07-20 17:00

-----------------------------

This example is for the am pm clock with hh
Again, ToUniversalTime() must be used when using [System.Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]

20 July 2019 11:00:00
2019-07-20 11:00
2019-07-20 11:00

MS doc on [Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.management.managementdatetimeconverter?view=dotnet-plat-ext-3.1