## WebSecurity.GetCreateDate() Method
The `WebSecurity.GetCreateDate()` method is a built-in helper function in ASP.NET Web Pages (using the SimpleMembership provider) that retrieves the exact date and time when a specific user account was created.
---
## Definition and Usage
The `GetCreateDate()` method queries the membership database and returns a `DateTime` object representing the creation timestamp of the specified user account.
---
## Syntax
### C# Syntax
```csharp
WebSecurity.GetCreateDate(string userName)
```
### VB.NET Syntax
```vb
WebSecurity.GetCreateDate(userName As String)
```
---
## Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| *userName* | `String` | The unique username of the member account whose creation date you want to retrieve. |
---
## Return Value
| Return Type | Description |
| :--- | :--- |
| `DateTime` | The date and time when the specified member account was created. |
---
## Code Example
Below is a practical example of how to use `WebSecurity.GetCreateDate()` in an ASP.NET Web Pages (Razor) environment to display a user's registration date on their profile page.
```cshtml
@{
Layout = "~/_SiteLayout.cshtml";
Page.Title = "User Profile";
string currentUserName = "";
DateTime registrationDate = DateTime.MinValue;
// Check if the user is logged in
if (WebSecurity.IsAuthenticated)
{
currentUserName = WebSecurity.CurrentUserName;
// Retrieve the creation date of the logged-in user
registrationDate = WebSecurity.GetCreateDate(currentUserName);
}
}
User Profile
User Profile Information
@if (WebSecurity.IsAuthenticated)
{
Username: @currentUserName
if (registrationDate != DateTime.MinValue)
{
Member Since: @registrationDate.ToString("MMMM dd, yyyy (hh:mm tt)")
}
else
{
Member Since: Information unavailable.
}
}
else
{
Please Log in to view your profile details.
}
```
---
## Errors and Exceptions
Any attempt to access the `WebSecurity` object will throw an `InvalidOperationException` under the following conditions:
* The `WebSecurity.InitializeDatabaseConnection()` method has not been called (typically initialized in `_AppStart.cshtml`).
* The **SimpleMembership** provider is not initialized or has been explicitly disabled in the website configuration (`web.config`).
### Handling Invalid Dates
If the account creation date is invalid, missing, or cannot be retrieved, the `GetCreateDate()` method returns `DateTime.MinValue`.
* The value of `DateTime.MinValue` is `00:00:00.0000000, January 1, 0001`. It is recommended to check against this value before rendering the date to the user.
---
## Technical Reference
| Property | Value |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Namespace** | `WebMatrix.WebData` |
| **Assembly** | `WebMatrix.WebData.dll` |
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