GetLastWriteTime returning 12/31/1600 7:00:00 PM

Question

I am using the following code to write the Date Modified time of a Directory to a label

string selectedPath = comboBox1.SelectedItem.ToString();
DateTime las         


        

Answer 1

An easy way to test for file not found with the result of GetLastWriteTime()/GetLastWriteTimeUtc() without hardcoding the sentinel epoch date/times that are used to indicate a file/dir not found condition, is as follows:

// ##### Local file time version #####
DateTime fileTimeEpochLocal=DateTime.FromFileTime(0);
// Use File.GetLastWriteTime(pathname) for files
// and Directory.GetLastWriteTime(pathname) for directories
DateTime lastWriteTime=Directory.GetLastWriteTime(selectedPath); 

// Check for a valid last write time
if (lastWriteTime!=fileTimeEpochLocal) // File found
    DoSomethingWith(selectedPath,lastWriteTime);
else // File not found
    HandleFileNotFound(selectedPath);

// ##### UTC file time version #####
DateTime fileTimeEpochUtc=DateTime.FromFileTimeUtc(0);
// Use File.GetLastWriteTimeUtc(pathname) for files
// and Directory.GetLastWriteTimeUtc(pathname) for directories
DateTime lastWriteTimeUtc=Directory.GetLastWriteTimeUtc(selectedPath);

// Check for a valid last write time
if (lastWriteTimeUtc!=fileTimeEpochUtc) // File found
    DoSomethingWith(selectedPath,lastWriteTimeUtc);
else // File not found
    HandleFileNotFound(selectedPath);