File.SetCreationTime() Method in C# with Examples

File.SetCreationTime(String, DateTime) is an inbuilt File class method that is used to set the local date and time the file was created.
Syntax:

public static void SetCreationTime (string path, DateTime creationTime);

Parameter: This function accepts two parameters which are illustrated below: 

• path: The specified file for which to set the creation date and time information.
• creationTime: The local Date and time containing the value to set for the creation of path.

Exceptions:

• FileNotFoundException: The specified path was not found.
• ArgumentException: The path is a zero-length string, contains only white space, or one or more invalid characters as defined by InvalidPathChars.
• ArgumentNullException: The path is null.
• PathTooLongException: The specified path, file name, or both exceed the system-defined maximum length.
• IOException: An I/O error occurred while performing the operation.
• ArgumentOutOfRangeException: The creationTime specifies a value outside the range of dates, times, or both permitted for this operation.
• UnauthorizedAccessException: The caller does not have the required permission.
• NotSupportedException: The path is in an invalid format.

Below are the programs to illustrate the File.SetCreationTime(String, DateTime) method.
Program 1: Before running the below code, a file file.txt is created with some contents shown below-

C#

// C# program to illustrate the usage
// of File.SetCreationTime(String, DateTime) method

// Using System and System.IO namespaces
using System;
using System.IO;

class GFG {
    static void Main()
    {
        // Specifying a new date and time
        DateTime D1 = new DateTime(2017, 12, 25, 2, 6, 8);

        // Calling SetCreationTime() function
        // to set the new date and time
        File.SetCreationTime("file.txt", D1);

        // Calling the GetCreationTime() function
        // to get the creation date and time
        DateTime D2 = File.GetCreationTime("file.txt");
        Console.WriteLine("The File Creation Time is : " + D2.ToString());
    }
}

Output:

The File Creation Time is : 25/12/2017 02:06:08 AM

Program 2: Before running the below code, a file file.txt is created with some contents shown below:

C#

// C# program to illustrate the usage
// of File.SetCreationTime(String, DateTime) method

// Using System and System.IO namespaces
using System;
using System.IO;

class GFG {
    static void Main()
    {
        // Calling the GetCreationTime() function to
        // get the original file creation date and time
        DateTime D1 = File.GetCreationTime("file.txt");
        Console.WriteLine("File Creation Old Time is: " + D1.ToString());

        // Specifying a new date and time
        DateTime D2 = new DateTime(2017, 12, 25, 2, 6, 8);

        // Calling SetCreationTime() function
        // to set the new date and time
        File.SetCreationTime("file.txt", D2);

        // Calling the GetCreationTime() function
        // to get the new creation date and time
        DateTime D3 = File.GetCreationTime("file.txt");
        Console.WriteLine("File Creation new Time is : " + D3.ToString());
    }
}

Output:

File Creation Old Time is: 4/25/2020 11:26:14 AM
File Creation new Time is : 25/12/2017 02:06:08 AM