How can I format a DatePicker to display the date format day / month / year? - datepicker

Question

I'm using the Windows Phone 8.1 DatePicker
It's displaying the date as month/day/year by default and I can't see any way to change this to the 'correct' way of day/month/year.
This is how I declare the DatePicker
<DatePicker Name="datePicker" HorizontalAlignment="Center" MonthFormat="{}{month.full}"/>
displaying it as
I can see in the linked msdn article that I can use a DateTimeFormatter in conjunction with ComboBox selectors but that's not an option for me.
Is it possible?

Answer 1

To Edit the Template
In Xaml every control has a style which you can manipulate, to change it's look and feel. Controls also inherit from one another, for example a date picker is made up of a button and a content container. And a button is made up of a border and a content container.
To Update the date pickers style.. Right click on the date picker control in visual studio from the Menu click edit template then click edit a copy. For this example you want to edit the style of the button template with in the date picker Template...
You will also need to create a Converter class to used in the template
This answer worked for me
Page with date picker...
<Page
x:Class="DatePikerAnswer.MainPage"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:local="using:DatePikerAnswer"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
<Page.Resources>
<!-- Format Converter -->
<local:DateConverter x:Key="FormatConverter"/>
<!-- My Button Style-->
<Thickness x:Key="PhoneBorderThickness">2.5</Thickness>
<FontWeight x:Key="PhoneButtonFontWeight">Semibold</FontWeight>
<x:Double x:Key="TextStyleLargeFontSize">18.14</x:Double>
<x:Double x:Key="PhoneButtonMinHeight">57.5</x:Double>
<x:Double x:Key="PhoneButtonMinWidth">109</x:Double>
<Thickness x:Key="PhoneTouchTargetOverhang">0,9.5</Thickness>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="ButtonDisabledBackgroundThemeBrush" Color="Transparent"/>
<Style x:Key="MyButtonStyle" TargetType="Button">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent"/>
<Setter Property="BorderBrush" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneForegroundBrush}"/>
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneForegroundBrush}"/>
<Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneBorderThickness}"/>
<Setter Property="FontFamily" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneFontFamilyNormal}"/>
<Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneButtonFontWeight}"/>
<Setter Property="FontSize" Value="{ThemeResource TextStyleLargeFontSize}"/>
<Setter Property="Padding" Value="9.5,0"/>
<Setter Property="MinHeight" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneButtonMinHeight}"/>
<Setter Property="MinWidth" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneButtonMinWidth}"/>
<Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left"/>
<Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
<Grid x:Name="Grid" Background="Transparent">
<VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
<VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">
<VisualStateGroup.Transitions>
<VisualTransition From="Pressed" To="PointerOver">
<Storyboard>
<PointerUpThemeAnimation Storyboard.TargetName="Grid"/>
</Storyboard>
</VisualTransition>
<VisualTransition From="PointerOver" To="Normal">
<Storyboard>
<PointerUpThemeAnimation Storyboard.TargetName="Grid"/>
</Storyboard>
</VisualTransition>
<VisualTransition From="Pressed" To="Normal">
<Storyboard>
<PointerUpThemeAnimation Storyboard.TargetName="Grid"/>
</Storyboard>
</VisualTransition>
</VisualStateGroup.Transitions>
<VisualState x:Name="Normal"/>
<VisualState x:Name="PointerOver"/>
<VisualState x:Name="Pressed">
<Storyboard>
<PointerDownThemeAnimation Storyboard.TargetName="Grid"/>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Foreground" Storyboard.TargetName="ContentPresenter">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="{ThemeResource ButtonPressedForegroundThemeBrush}"/>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Background" Storyboard.TargetName="Border">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="{ThemeResource ButtonPressedBackgroundThemeBrush}"/>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
</Storyboard>
</VisualState>
<VisualState x:Name="Disabled">
<Storyboard>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Foreground" Storyboard.TargetName="ContentPresenter">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="{ThemeResource ButtonDisabledForegroundThemeBrush}"/>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="BorderBrush" Storyboard.TargetName="Border">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="{ThemeResource ButtonDisabledBorderThemeBrush}"/>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="Background" Storyboard.TargetName="Border">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="{ThemeResource ButtonDisabledBackgroundThemeBrush}"/>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
</Storyboard>
</VisualState>
</VisualStateGroup>
</VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
<Border x:Name="Border" BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" Margin="{ThemeResource PhoneTouchTargetOverhang}">
<ContentPresenter x:Name="ContentPresenter"
AutomationProperties.AccessibilityView="Raw"
ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}"
Content="{Binding Content, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent},Converter={StaticResource FormatConverter},ConverterParameter=\{0:dd/MM/yyyy\}}"
Foreground="{TemplateBinding Foreground}"
HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}"
Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}"
VerticalAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"/>
</Border>
</Grid>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
<!--DatePicker Style-->
<FontFamily x:Key="PhoneFontFamilyNormal">Segoe WP</FontFamily>
<x:Double x:Key="ContentControlFontSize">20.26</x:Double>
<Style x:Key="MyDatePickerStyle1" TargetType="DatePicker">
<Setter Property="FontFamily" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneFontFamilyNormal}"/>
<Setter Property="FontSize" Value="{ThemeResource ContentControlFontSize}"/>
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{ThemeResource DatePickerForegroundThemeBrush}"/>
<Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Stretch"/>
<Setter Property="HorizontalContentAlignment" Value="Left"/>
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="DatePicker">
<StackPanel x:Name="LayoutRoot" Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
<ContentPresenter x:Name="HeaderContentPresenter"
ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding HeaderTemplate}"
Content="{TemplateBinding Header}" Margin="0,0,0,-3"
Style="{StaticResource HeaderContentPresenterStyle}"/>
<Button x:Name="FlyoutButton"
BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding Foreground}"
BorderThickness="2.5"
Background="{TemplateBinding Background}"
Foreground="{TemplateBinding Foreground}"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
HorizontalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}"
IsEnabled="{TemplateBinding IsEnabled}"
Style="{StaticResource MyButtonStyle}"
Padding="6.5,0,0,3"/>
</StackPanel>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</Page.Resources>
<Grid>
</Grid>
</Page>
Converter Class ...
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Data;
namespace DatePikerAnswer
{
class DateConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
if (value != null)
{
///Convert Class throws exception so can not convert to date time
string TheCurrentDate = value.ToString();
string[] Values = TheCurrentDate.Split('/');
string Day, Month, Year;
Day = Values[1];
Month = Values[0];
Year = Values[2];
string retvalue = string.Format("{0}/{1}/{2}", Day, Month, Year);
return retvalue;
}
return value;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
}
The End Result is ...

Answer 2

I needed to show Date as 'Month Year', I tried some solutions I thought about but they didn't work , searched a little and finally found this question and the answer by StuartSmith.
Based on his answer I came up with similar solution that works around localization issue mentioned in comment by Kubaskista
#StuartSmith It will not work for German localization and probably some other regions due to different data format. btw: any idea why "value" in converter is not possible to convert into DateTime?
1- Define Date Picker in xaml, give it name "FirstDatePicker" and then from Designer edit template then choose edit a copy.
<DatePicker x:Name="FirstDatePicker" VerticalAlignment="Top" Grid.Row="1" Margin="0,12,0,0" CalendarIdentifier="GregorianCalendar" DayVisible="False" Padding="0" Style="{StaticResource DatePickerStyle}" RequestedTheme="Light"/>
2- Right Click on FlyoutButton -> Additional Templates -> Edit Generated Content -> Edit a copy.
3- Inside content template, We will bind directly to Date property of FirstDatePicker and by using of StringFormatConverter you can format the date as you wish and override culture also.
<DataTemplate x:Key="DateFormatTemplate">
<Grid>
<TextBlock x:Name="textBlock" HorizontalAlignment="Left" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding Date, ConverterParameter=MMMM yyyy, Converter={StaticResource DateFormatConverter}, ElementName=FirstDatePicker, Mode=OneWay}" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
</Grid>
</DataTemplate>
4- Add StringFormatConverter to solution, Don't forget to add it to resources section of page.
public class DateFormatConverter : IValueConverter
{
#region IValueConverter Members
public object Convert ( object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language )
{
if(!(value is DateTime || value is DateTimeOffset) || parameter == null) return value;
if(value is DateTime)
{
var date = (DateTime)value;
return date.ToString(parameter.ToString(), CultureInfo.CurrentCulture);
}
else
{
var date = (DateTimeOffset)value;
return date.ToString(parameter.ToString(), CultureInfo.CurrentCulture);
}
}
public object ConvertBack ( object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language )
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
#endregion
}
Note:You can change 'CultureInfo.CurrentCulture' to new Culture("ar-EG") as example or use language passed in converter.
Finally, Here is what i have in resources section of page
<converters:DateFormatConverter x:Key="DateFormatConverter"/>
<x:Double x:Key="ContentControlFontSize">20.26</x:Double>
<FontWeight x:Key="PhoneButtonFontWeight2">Semibold</FontWeight>
<DataTemplate x:Key="DateFormatTemplate">
<Grid>
<TextBlock x:Name="textBlock" HorizontalAlignment="Left" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding Date, ConverterParameter=MMMM yyyy, Converter={StaticResource DateFormatConverter}, ElementName=FirstDatePicker, Mode=OneWay}" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
</Grid>
</DataTemplate>
<Style x:Key="DatePickerStyle" TargetType="DatePicker">
<Setter Property="FontFamily" Value="{ThemeResource PhoneFontFamilyNormal}"/>
<Setter Property="FontSize" Value="{ThemeResource ContentControlFontSize}"/>
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{ThemeResource DatePickerForegroundThemeBrush}"/>
<Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Stretch"/>
<Setter Property="HorizontalContentAlignment" Value="Left"/>
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="DatePicker">
<StackPanel x:Name="LayoutRoot" Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
<ContentPresenter x:Name="HeaderContentPresenter" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding HeaderTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Header}" Margin="0,0,0,-3" Style="{StaticResource HeaderContentPresenterStyle}"/>
<Button x:Name="FlyoutButton" BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding Foreground}" BorderThickness="2.5" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" Foreground="{TemplateBinding Foreground}" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" HorizontalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" IsEnabled="{TemplateBinding IsEnabled}" Padding="12,10" Margin="0" ContentTemplate="{StaticResource DateFormatTemplate}"/>
</StackPanel>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>