Question

In my application I generate files at random opportunities. To ensure a unique naming, I tried to use the nano seconds since 1.1.1970:

long time = DateTime.Now.Ticks;
String fileName = Convert.ToString(time);
Console.WriteLine(fileName);

Now I observed something weird. Why is the output like that? I mean why are the last 4 numbers always the same? I can use this as a filename, that is not the problem, but I’m just wondering about it.

634292263478068039
634292263512888039
634292263541368039
634292263603448039
634292263680078039

Answer 1

The resolution of DateTime.Now depends on your system timer (~10ms on a current Windows OS)…so it’s giving the same ending value there (it doesn’t count any more finite than that).