Find the closest time from a list of times

Question

So, here\'s the scenario. I have a file with a created time, and I want to choose a time from a list of times that that file\'s created time is closest or equal too...what w

Answer 1

Something like this:

DateTime fileDate, closestDate;
ArrayList theDates;
long min = long.MaxValue;

foreach (DateTime date in theDates)
 if (Math.Abs(date.Ticks - fileDate.Ticks) < min)
 {
   min = Math.Abs(date.Ticks - fileDate.Ticks);
   closestDate = date;
 }

Answer 2

var min = listoftimes.Select(
    x => new { diff = Math.Abs((x - timeoffile).Ticks), time = x}).
    OrderBy(x => x.diff).
    First().time;

Note: Assumes at least 1 entry in listoftimes.

Answer 3

I thought I would update this post to include a real world scenario. I wanted this sort of function as I have a blog showing news of the latest movie screenings.

However I don't want to list screening in the past (ie screening date past the current date) and as I wanted to show a record I needed some sort of ID passed to pick up the record.

I have left if simple so that you can follow the process and no doubt make it more efficient with LINQ et al.

First the model

        public class LatestScreeeningsModel
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public DateTime Date { get; set; }
    }

Then the code block you can call from your controller

        private static LatestScreeeningsModel GetLatestScreening(IPublishedContent currentNode)
    {
        LatestScreeeningsModel latestScreening = new LatestScreeeningsModel();

        DateTime fileDate;

        // get a list of screenings that have not shown yet
        var screenings = currentNode.AncestorsOrSelf("siteLanguage")
                                   .FirstOrDefault().Descendants("screening")
                                   .Select(x => new LatestScreeeningsModel() { Id = x.Id, Date = x.GetPropertyValue<DateTime>("date") })
                                   .Where(x => x.Date > DateTime.Now).ToList();

        fileDate = DateTime.Today;

        long min = Math.Abs(fileDate.Ticks - screenings[0].Date.Ticks);
        long diff;
        foreach (var comingDate in screenings)
        {
            diff = Math.Abs(fileDate.Ticks - comingDate.Date.Ticks);
            if (diff <= min)
            {
                min = diff;
                latestScreening = comingDate;
            }
        }

        return latestScreening;

    }

I am using Umbraco to get the date items but it would work with any custom model, List et al.

Hope it helps

Answer 4

get the difference of your file creatime and every time in your list and sort the absolute value of each time difference. the first one should be the answer you are looking for.

Answer 5

Use the minimum absolute time difference between the file time and the time in the list. You might get 2 entries being the same, and then you would need a different method to differ between these.