How Can I Efficiently Detect Overlapping Time Periods in C#?

Identifying Overlapping Time Intervals in C#

Efficiently determining if two time intervals overlap is a frequent task in software development. This article explores different methods and presents an optimized solution.

Utilizing Existing Tools and Methods

C#'s built-in DateTime class doesn't directly support overlapping interval comparisons. However, a custom, immutable class mirroring TimeSpan with distinct start and end dates offers a practical approach.

An Optimized Solution

The following code snippet provides a concise and efficient way to detect overlap between two time intervals, defined by tStartA, tEndA and tStartB, tEndB:

<code class="language-csharp">bool overlap = tStartA < tEndB && tStartB < tEndA;</code>

Explanation:

• The condition tStartA < tEndB checks if the start of interval A is before the end of interval B.
• The condition tStartB < tEndA checks if the start of interval B is before the end of interval A.

The && operator ensures both conditions must be true for an overlap to exist.

Summary

This method offers a streamlined and highly efficient solution for detecting overlapping time intervals in C#. Its simplicity reduces complexity and guarantees fast execution.

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