title: How to Parse a date string from a text file on PC to DateTime
body: <blockquote>
    <p><strong>---EDITED---</strong></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I have a simple C# Windows Form. "c:\date.txt" is just (DateTime.Now). Later I will create some code to update this file, but for now, I'm having a problem with debugging. It builds fine, but debug throws an exception at the date.txt file... The code is as follows:</p>
  
  <pre><code>public partial class Form1 : Form
  {
      private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
      {
          DateTime dt = DateTime.Parse(@"C:\date.txt"); // Exception Thrown Here
                        // Should be: (File.ReadAllText(@"C:\date.txt"))
          DateTime dn = DateTime.Now;
          TimeSpan dc = (dn - dt);
          label1.Text = ("Days = " + dc.Days + 
                      "\nHours = " + dc.Hours +
                      "\nMins = " + dc.Minutes +
                      "\nSecs = " + dc.Seconds);
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>FormatException was unhandled... The string was not recognized as a valid DateTime. There is an unknown word starting at index 0. "When converting a string to DateTime, parse the string to take the date before putting each variable into the DateTime object."</p>
  
  <p>I am parsing! I've tried (new StreamReader...ToString()). I've tried Convert.ToDateTime(...). I've tried making it a method... I've tried TryParse. Nothing is helping. <strong>What do I need to do here to make this thing read the string from the file?</strong></p>