Sort a string column by datetime in a DataTable

Question

I am trying to sort a DataTable on a string column by DateTime.

For various reasons, the column must be left as a string

Answer 1

Try Add while create DataTable

    table.Columns.Add("dateValue", typeof(DateTime?));

    var orderedRows = from row in dt.AsEnumerable()
                      orderby  row.Field<DateTime>("Date")
                      select row; 
    DataTable tblOrdered = orderedRows.CopyToDataTable();

(Or)

 var orderedRows = from row in dt.AsEnumerable()
                      let date = DateTime.Parse(row.Field<string>("Date"), CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)
                      orderby date 
                      select row;

Answer 2

Stumbled upon a method right after I posted.

EnumerableRowCollection<DataRow> query = from row in dataTable.AsEnumerable()
                                         orderby DateTime.Parse(row.Field<string>(propertyName)) ascending
                                         select row;
dataTable = query.AsDataView().ToTable();

Answer 3

        List<DataRow> rows = new List<DataRow>();
        foreach (DataRow row in table.Rows)
        {
            rows.Add(row);
        }
        rows.Sort((r1,r2)=>DateTime.Parse((string)r1["columnname"]).CompareTo(DateTime.Parse((string)r2["columnname"])));
        var clone = table.Clone();
        rows.ForEach(r => clone.Rows.Add(r.ItemArray));
        return clone;

Answer 4

You can sort dates as a string if you use the format YYYYMMDD