formatting DateTime error “Templates can be used only with field access, property access, single-dimension array index..”

Question

In MVC Razor view, I am trying to format a DateTime field to display time only. Using below code I am getting error \"Templates can be used only with field access, property acce

Answer 1

Another possible approach could be using extension methods to achieve the same. Using that approach you will not be populating your views with hard coded format.

Extension Method

    /// 

    /// Converts a DateTime string to Date string. Also if Date is default value i.e. 01/01/0001
    /// then returns String.Empty.
    /// 
    /// Input DateTime property 
    /// Pass true to show only date.
    /// False will keep the date as it is.
    /// 
    public static string ToString(this DateTime inputDate, bool showOnlyDate)
    {
        var resultDate = inputDate.ToString();

        if (showOnlyDate)
        {
            if (inputDate == DateTime.MinValue)
            {
                resultDate = string.Empty;
            }
            else
            {
                resultDate = inputDate.ToString("dd-MMM-yyyy");
            }
        }
        return resultDate;
    }

View

 @Model.LastUpdateDate.ToString(true).

Link: DateTime to Date in ASP.net MVC