# How to Format the Time Separator in RadChat

## Environment

| Product Version | Product              | Author                                                                          |
| --------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 2022.1.222      | RadChat for WinForms | [Desislava Yordanova](https://www.telerik.com/blogs/author/desislava-yordanova) |

## Description

**RadChat** offers the ChatElement.MessagesViewElement.**TimeSeparatorInterval** property that controls the time interval between messages that will trigger the automatic addition of a Time separator. You can set this property to 24 hours in order to display the time separator once when the date has changed.

![format-chat-time-separator 001](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/e1ff23b6db2f0538b6b282226e73d6c7/format-chat-time-separator001.png)

When a new message is added, the **TimeSeparatorAdding** event is fired. It gives you the opportunity to control whether to add a time separator or not no matter the already specified TimeSeparatorInterval.

A common requirement is to format the time separator in a specific way. This article demonstrates a sample approach how to control what text to be displayed for the time separator.

## Solution

It is appropriate to use the [ItemFormatting](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/chat/customizing-appearance/accessing-and-customizing-elements) event and specify the exact text you want to see for the separator:

![format-chat-time-separator 002](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/fab8be67bd5b21122360c3323f4c084f/format-chat-time-separator002.png)

```C#
private void RadChat1_ItemFormatting(object sender, ChatItemElementEventArgs e)
{
    ChatTimeSeparatorDataItem separator = e.ItemElement.Data as ChatTimeSeparatorDataItem;
    if (separator != null)
    {
        ChatTimeSeparatorMessage msg = separator.Message as ChatTimeSeparatorMessage;
        e.ItemElement.Text = msg.TimeStamp.ToString("dd-MM-yyyy");
    }
}
    
```

```VB.NET
Private Sub RadChat1_ItemFormatting(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As ChatItemElementEventArgs)
    Dim separator As ChatTimeSeparatorDataItem = TryCast(e.ItemElement.Data, ChatTimeSeparatorDataItem)

    If separator IsNot Nothing Then
        Dim msg As ChatTimeSeparatorMessage = TryCast(separator.Message, ChatTimeSeparatorMessage)
        e.ItemElement.Text = msg.TimeStamp.ToString("dd-MM-yyyy")
    End If
End Sub
 
```

## See Also

* [ItemFormatting](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/chat/customizing-appearance/accessing-and-customizing-elements)
* [Chat Messages](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/chat/chat-items/messages)