Date Functions
List of functions
| createDate | getMinute |
| dateAdd | getSecond |
| dateDiff | getMillisecond |
| extractDate | randomDate |
| extractTime | today |
| getYear | zeroDate |
| getMonth | trunc |
| getDay | truncDate |
| getHour |
When you work with a date, you may use functions that process dates.
In these functions, sometimes a format pattern of a date or any number must be defined. Also a locale and time zone can have an influence on their formatting.
For detailed information about the date formatting and/or parsing see Date and Time Format.
For detailed information about locale see Locale.
For detailed information about time zones see Time Zone.
![[Note]](figures/note.png) | Note |
|---|---|
Remember that numeric and date formats are displayed using system
value Locale, or Locale specified in the For more information on how Locale and Time zone may be changed in the |
Here we provide the list of the functions:
createDate
date createDate(integer year, integer month, integer day);
date createDate(integer year, integer month, integer day, string timeZone);
date createDate(integer year, integer month, integer day, integer hour, integer minute, integer second);
date createDate(integer year, integer month, integer day, integer hour, integer minute, integer second, string timeZone);
date createDate(integer year, integer month, integer day, integer hour, integer minute, integer second, integer millisecond);
date createDate(integer year, integer month, integer day, integer hour, integer minute, integer second, integer millisecond, string timeZone);
The function createDate() creates a date
using provided year, month (numbered from 1), day of month, hour, minute, second, millisecond and time zone.
If any of the above mentioned parameters is missing, value is set to zero. If the time zone is missing, the default time zone is used.
If one or more of specified parameters is null, the function fails.
Example 66.36. Usage of createDate
The function createDate(2013, 7, 31)
returns date corresponding to the 31 July 2013 0:00 using the default time zone.
The summer/winter time is taken into account.
For example the expression returns 30 July 2013 22:00 GMT in time zone GMT+1 using the summer time.
The function createDate(2013, 10, 4, "GMT+3") returns 4 October 2013 0:00 GMT+3.
It is the same as 3 October 2013 21:00 GMT+0.
The function createDate(2009, 2, 13, 23, 31, 30) returns 13 February 2009 23:31:30 in the default time zone.
For example the expression corresponds to 13 February 2009 22:31:30 GMT if the default time zone is GMT+1.
The function createDate(2009, 2, 13, 23, 31, 30, "GMT-1") returns 14 February 2009 0:31:30 GMT.
The function createDate(2009, 2, 13, 23, 31, 30, 123) returns 13 February 2009 23:31:30.123 in default time zone.
For example the expression corresponds to 13 February 2009 22:31:30.123 GMT if the default time zone is GMT+1.
The function createDate(2009, 2, 13, 23, 31, 30, 124, "GMT-1") returns 14 February 2009 0:31:30.124 GMT
See also: str2date
dateAdd
date dateAdd(date arg, long amount, unit timeunit);
The dateAdd()
function adds a number of time units to the date and returns a new date.
Parameter arg is the date to which the number of time units is added.
Parameter amount defines the number of units to be added.
The unit parameter defines the unit
of the second function parameter.
The unit argument
can be one of the following: year,
month, week,
day, hour,
minute, second,
millisec. The unit must be specified as a
constant. It can neither be received through an edge nor set as
a variable.
The function returns the new resulting date.
If one of the arguments is null, the
function fails with an error.
Example 66.37. Usage of dateAdd
Let us set up date d to 13 February 2009 23:31:30 GMT.
The function dateAdd(d, 1, year) returns 2010-02-13 23:31:30 GMT.
The function dateAdd(d, 1, month) returns 2009-03-13 23:31:30 GMT.
The function dateAdd(d, 1, day) returns 2009-02-14 23:31:30 GMT.
The czDate is 30.3.2014 00:00:00 in the time zone Europe/Prague.
The function dateAdd(czDate, 24, hour)
returns 31.3.2014 01:00:00 CEST.
The function dateAdd(cze, 1, day)
returns 31.3.2014 00:00:00 CEST
The ukDate is 2014-03-30 00:20:00
in the time zone Europe/London.
The function dateAdd(ukDate, 41, minute)
returns 2014-04 02:01:00 in the time zone Europe/London.
The function dateAdd(ukDate, 1, hour)
returns 2014-03-30 02:20:00 in the time zone Europe/London.
The function dateAdd(ukDate, 1, day)
returns 2014-03-31 00:20:00 in the time zone Europe/London.
See also: createDate dateDiff
dateDiff
long dateDiff(date later, date earlier, unit timeunit);
The dateDiff() function
returns the difference of two date variables in a specified time units.
The later and earlier parameters
represent a later and earlier date respectively.
The difference of two dates is expressed in
defined time units. The unit can be one of the following:
year, month,
week, day,
hour, minute,
second, millisec. The unit
must be specified as a constant. It can be neither received
through an edge nor set as variable.
![[Important]](figures/important.png) | Important |
|---|---|
If the |
The result is a long number.
The result of the function is truncated: two date variables with a difference of
40 hours yield a difference of 1 days.
If one of the given argument is null, the function
fails with an error.
| Important |
|---|---|
Be aware that adjusting for the daylight saving time - winter/summer time affects the results of Different countries switch between summer time and winter time on different days. The function |
Example 66.38. Usage of dateDiff
The function dateDiff(2008-06-18, 2001-02-03, year)
returns 7. But, dateDiff(2001-02-03,
2008-06-18, year) returns -7!
Let's call 2009-02-13 23:31:30 GMT+0 as d1
and 2011-01-10 20:12:33 as d2.
The function dateDiff(d2, d1, year) returns 1.
The function dateDiff(d2, d1, month) returns 22.
The function dateDiff(d2, d1, day) returns 695.
The variable L2 is 2014-03-30 02:01:00 in the time zone Europe/London.
The variable L1 is 2014-03-30 00:59:00 in the time zone Europe/London.
The function dateDiff(L2, L1, minute)returns 2.
Set 2014-03-30 00:15:00 with the time zone
Europe/London as london1
and set 2014-03-30 02:15:00 with the same
time zone as london2.
The function dateDiff(london2, london1, hour)
returns 1.
Set 2014-03-30 00:15:00 with the time zone
America/New_York as ny1
and set 2014-03-30 02:15:00 with the same time zone as ny2.
The function dateDiff(ny2, ny1, hour) returns 2.
Set 2014-02-10 10:15:00 with the time zone
America/New_York as nyFeb10
and 2014-02-10 10:15:00 with the time zone
Europe/London as ukFeb10.
The function dateDiff(nyFeb10, ukFeb10, hour)
returns 5.
Set 2014-03-10 10:15:00 with the time zone
America/New_York as nyMar10
and 2014-03-10 10:15:00 with the time zone
Europe/London as ukMar10.
The function dateDiff(nyMar10, ukMar10, hour)
returns 4.
Set 2014-03-08 12:14:16 with the time zone
America/New_York as ny21
and 2014-03-09 12:14:16 with the same time zone
as ny22.
The function dateDiff(ny22, ny21, millisec) returns 82800000.
The function dateDiff(ny22, ny21, second) returns 82800.
The function dateDiff(ny22, ny21, minute) returns 1380.
The function dateDiff(ny22, ny21, hour) returns 23.
The function dateDiff(ny22, ny21, day)
returns 1 if processing runs on machine
with the same time zone as the data (America/New_York).
The function returns 0 if processing runs on machine with a different time zone (e.g. Europe/London).
Time in the time zone Europe/London is turned on the different day than in time zones in US.
If you would process data having the time zone America/New_York
using the time zone America/Los_Angeles, you would get 0 or 1.
extractDate
date extractDate(date arg);
The extractDate function takes a date
argument and returns only the information containing year, month, and day values.
The function's argument is not modified by the return value.
If the input argument is null, the function returns null.
The default locale and default timezone are applied.
Example 66.39. Usage of extractDate
Let's call 13 February 2009 23:31:30 GMT+0 as d.
The function extractDate(d) returns 2009-02-13 0:00:00 GMT+0
provided the default time zone is GMT+0.
If the default time zone is GMT+1, the function will return 2009-02-14 0:00:00 GMT+1.
(The result corresponds to 2009-02-13 23:00:00 GMT+0.)
See also: extractTime, str2date
extractTime
date extractTime(date arg);
The extractTime() function takes a date
argument and returns only the information containing hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds.
The function's argument is not modified by the return value.
If the input argument is null, the function returns null.
The default locale and default timezone are applied.
Example 66.40. Usage of extractTime
Let's call 13 February 2009 23:31:30 GMT+0 as d.
The function extractTime(d) returns 23:31:30
provided the default time zone is GMT+0.
If the default time zone is GMT+1, the function will return 0:31:30.
See also: extractDate str2date
getYear
integer getYear(date arg);
integer getYear(date arg, string timeZone);
The getYear() function
returns the year of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
If the timeZone argument is null or the argument is missing,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.41. Usage of getYear
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:00 GMT as d.
The function getYear(d) returns 2011.
The default time zone is used.
The function getYear(d, "GMT+0") returns 2011.
the function getYear(d, "GMT-3") returns 2010.
There have not been a midnight in the GMT-3 yet.
See also: date2str, getMonth, getDay, getHour, getMinute, getSecond, getMillisecond, str2date
getMonth
integer getMonth(date arg);
integer getMonth(date arg, string timeZone);
The getMonth() function
returns the month of the year (numbered from 1) of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
If the timeZone argument is null or the argument is missing,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.42. Usage of getMonth
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:00 GMT as d.
The function getMonth(d) returns 1
provided the default timezone is GMT+1.
The function getMonth(d, "GMT+0") returns 1.
the function getMonth(d, "GMT-3") returns 12.
There have not been a midnight in the GMT-3 yet.
See also: date2str, getYear, getDay, getHour, getMinute, getSecond, getMillisecond, str2date
getDay
integer getDay(date arg);
integer getDay(date arg, string timeZone);
The getDay() function
returns the day of the month of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
If the timeZone argument is null or the timezone argument is not present,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.43. Usage of getDay
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:00 GMT as d.
The function getDay(d) returns 1
provided the default time zone is GMT+1.
The function getDay(d, "GMT+0") returns 1.
the function getDay(d, "GMT-3") returns 31.
There have not been a midnight in the GMT-3 yet.
See also: date2str, getYear, getMonth, getHour, getMinute, getSecond, getMillisecond, str2date
getHour
integer getHour(date arg);
integer getHour(date arg, string timeZone);
The getHour() function
returns the hour of the day (24-hour clock) of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
Otherwise the specified time zone is used.
If the timeZone argument is null,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.44. Usage of getHour
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:00 GMT as d.
The function getHour(d) returns 2
provided the default time zone is GMT+1.
The function getHour(d, "GMT+0") returns 1.
the function getHour(d, "GMT-3") returns 22.
See also: date2str, getYear, getMonth, getDay, getMinute, getSecond, getMillisecond, str2date
getMinute
integer getMinute(date arg);
integer getMinute(date arg, string timeZone);
The getMinute() function
returns the minute of the hour of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
If the timeZone argument is null or the parameter is not present,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.45. Usage of getMinute
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:00 GMT as d.
The function getMinute(d) returns 5
provided the default time zone is GMT+1.
The function getMinute(d, "GMT+0") returns 5.
the function getMinute(d, "GMT-9:30") returns 35.
See also: date2str, getYear, getMonth, getDay, getHour, getSecond, getMillisecond, str2date
getSecond
integer getSecond(date arg);
integer getSecond(date arg, string timeZone);
The getSecond() function
returns the second of the minute of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
If the timeZone argument is null
or the argument in not present,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.46. Usage of getSecond
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:02 GMT as d.
The function getSecond(d) returns 2.
The function getSecond(d, "GMT+0") returns 2.
the function getSecond(d, "GMT-4") returns 2.
See also: date2str, getYear getMonth getDay getHour getMinute getMillisecond str2date
getMillisecond
integer getMillisecond(date arg);
integer getMillisecond(date arg, string timeZone);
The getMillisecond() function
returns the millisecond of the second of arg.
If the argument is null, the function returns null.
If the timeZone argument is null
or the parameter is not present,
the function uses the default Time Zone.
Example 66.47. Usage of getMillisecond
Let's call 2011-01-01 1:05:02.123 GMT as d.
The function getMillisecond(d) returns 123.
The function getMillisecond(d, "GMT+0") returns 123.
the function getMillisecond(d, "GMT-4") returns 123.
See also: date2str, getYear, getMonth, getDay, getHour, getMinute, getSecond, str2date
randomDate
date randomDate(date startDate, date endDate);
date randomDate(long startDate, long endDate);
date randomDate(string startDate, string endDate, string format);
date randomDate(string startDate, string endDate, string format, string locale);
date randomDate(string startDate, string endDate, string format, string locale, string timeZone);
The randomDate() function
returns a random date between
startDate and endDate.
These
resulting dates are generated at random for different records and
different fields. They can be different for both records and
fields. The return value can also be startDate
or endDate. However, it cannot be the date
before startDate nor after
endDate.
If one of the given dates is null, the
function fails with an error.
If the format is null
or the function does not have the format parameter, the default value is used.
If the timezone is null
or the function does not have the timeone parameter, the default
Time Zone is used.
If the locale is null
or the field is missing, the default Locale
is used.
Example 66.48. Usage of randomDate
Let's call 2011-01-01 0:00:00 as date1
and 2012-01-01 0:00:00 as date2.
The function randomDate(date1, date2)
returns for example 2011-06-19.
The function randomDate(123456789000L, 1266103890000L)
returns for example 2009-06-20.
The function randomDate("2011-11-11", "2012-12-12", "yyyy-MM-dd")
returns for example 2012-09-01.
The function randomDate("10 octobre 2011", "11 novembre 2011", "dd MMMM yyyy", "fr.FR")
returns for example 2011-10-14.
The function randomDate("2011-01-11", "2011-08-12", "yyyy-MM-dd", "en.US", "GMT-5")
returns for example 2011-05-14.
See also: random, randomBoolean, randomGaussian, randomInteger, randomLong, randomString, randomUUID, setRandomSeed
today
date today();
The today() function accepts no argument and returns current date and time.
Example 66.49. Usage of today
The function today returns for example 2013-11-06 12:32:15
provided today is 6 November 2013 and the time is 12:32:15.
See also: zeroDate
zeroDate
date zeroDate();
The zeroDate() function accepts no argument
and returns 1.1.1970 0:00:00 GMT.
See also: today
trunc
| Important |
|---|---|
The function |
date trunc(date arg);
The trunc() function removes time from date.
The function takes one date argument and returns the date with the same year, month and day, but hour, minute, second and millisecond are set to 0 values.
If the argument is null, the function fails
with an error.
The function trunc modifies the input parameter.
See also: extractDate, truncDate
truncDate
| Important |
|---|---|
The function |
date truncDate(date arg);
The truncDate() function
returns a date with the same hour, minute,
second and millisecond as the given date, but year is 1970,
month and day are set to 1 values. The 0 date is 1970-01-01.
If the given argument is null,
the function fails with an error.
The function truncDate modifies the input parameter.
See also: extractTime, trunc