date_diff() output?

ybritt

Hi,

In what unit does the function date_diff() return the time difference and how do I convert the result (a very large integer) to, e.g. hours?

Thanks in advance!

haddock

Hi,

You should read the help section for  "Date to Numerical"  and "Generate Attribute" operators, and the resources listed under "help".

awchisholm

Hello

A little experiment reveals that the difference between 2 dates is in milliseconds. See the example below.

regards,

Andrew

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<process version="5.1.001">
  <context>
    <input/>
    <output/>
    <macros/>
  </context>
  <operator activated="true" class="process" compatibility="5.1.001" expanded="true" name="Process">
    <process expanded="true" height="341" width="815">
      <operator activated="true" class="generate_data" compatibility="5.1.001" expanded="true" height="60" name="Generate Data" width="90" x="45" y="75">
        <parameter key="number_examples" value="10"/>
      </operator>
      <operator activated="true" class="select_attributes" compatibility="5.1.001" expanded="true" height="76" name="Select Attributes" width="90" x="179" y="75">
        <parameter key="invert_selection" value="true"/>
        <parameter key="include_special_attributes" value="true"/>
      </operator>
      <operator activated="true" class="generate_attributes" compatibility="5.1.001" expanded="true" height="76" name="Generate Attributes" width="90" x="313" y="75">
        <list key="function_descriptions">
          <parameter key="Now" value="date_now()"/>
        </list>
      </operator>
      <operator activated="true" class="delay" compatibility="5.1.001" expanded="true" height="76" name="Delay" width="90" x="447" y="75">
        <parameter key="delay" value="fixed"/>
        <parameter key="delay_amount" value="1234"/>
      </operator>
      <operator activated="true" class="generate_attributes" compatibility="5.1.001" expanded="true" height="76" name="Generate Attributes (2)" width="90" x="581" y="75">
        <list key="function_descriptions">
          <parameter key="NowPlus" value="date_now()"/>
          <parameter key="diff" value="date_diff(Now,NowPlus)"/>
        </list>
      </operator>
      <connect from_op="Generate Data" from_port="output" to_op="Select Attributes" to_port="example set input"/>
      <connect from_op="Select Attributes" from_port="example set output" to_op="Generate Attributes" to_port="example set input"/>
      <connect from_op="Generate Attributes" from_port="example set output" to_op="Delay" to_port="through 1"/>
      <connect from_op="Delay" from_port="through 1" to_op="Generate Attributes (2)" to_port="example set input"/>
      <connect from_op="Generate Attributes (2)" from_port="example set output" to_port="result 1"/>
      <portSpacing port="source_input 1" spacing="0"/>
      <portSpacing port="sink_result 1" spacing="0"/>
      <portSpacing port="sink_result 2" spacing="0"/>
    </process>
  </operator>
</process>

ybritt

Good morning!

Thanks both of you for pointing me in the right direction