Difference between dates displayed in days, hours, minutes and seconds

  • It is right?

    CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates
    (
      @Date1 Datetime,       -- Dia inicio
      @Date2 Datetime        -- Dia fin
            -- Formato: #d HH:MM:SS
            -- Sample:
                            -- Set dateformat ymd
                            -- SELECT dbo.ufn_CalcularDiferenciaenHoras('2017-10-01 01:46:00', '2017-10-17 10:45:00')
                            -- Return: 16d 08:59:00
    )
    RETURNS VARCHAR(MAX)
    AS
    BEGIN
      DECLARE @OUT VARCHAR(100)
      DECLARE @segundos BIGINT
     
      SET @segundos = ( SELECT datediff(SECOND,@Date1, @Date2) ) -- AS Segundos
        SET @segundos = ISNULL(@segundos, 0)
      SET @OUT ='0d 00:00:00'
        
        IF (@segundos < 0)
            RETURN @OUT
        
        SET @OUT = CONVERT(VARCHAR, FLOOR(@segundos / 86400) ) + 'd '                        -- days
        SET @segundos = @segundos % 86400
        SET @OUT = @OUT + Right('0'+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, FLOOR(@segundos / 3600)),2) + ':'    -- hours
        SET @segundos = @segundos % 3600
        SET @OUT = @OUT + Right('0'+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, FLOOR(@segundos / 60)),2) + ':'        -- minutes
        SET @OUT = @OUT + Right('0'+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, @segundos % 60),2)                    -- seconds

        -------------
      RETURN @OUT
      -------------
    END

    GO

  • I would take some benefit of using the integers behind and performance improvement of using an inline table-valued function.

    CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ifn_DifferenceBetweenDates
    (
      @Date1 Datetime, -- Dia inicio
      @Date2 Datetime -- Dia fin
    -- Formato: #d HH:MM:SS
    -- Sample:
    -- Set dateformat ymd
    -- SELECT *
    -- FROM SomeTable st
    -- CROSS APPLY dbo.ifn_DifferenceBetweenDates( st.Date1, st.Date2) --Samples '2017-10-01 01:46:00', '2017-10-17 10:45:00'
    -- Return: 16d 08:59:00
    )
    RETURNS TABLE
    AS
    RETURN
    SELECT CONVERT( varchar(10), CONVERT(int, Date2 - Date1)) + 'd ' + CONVERT(char(8), Date2 - Date1, 108) AS DiferenciaenHoras
    FROM (SELECT CASE WHEN @Date1 <= @Date2 THEN @Date1 ELSE @Date2 END AS Date1,
         CASE WHEN @Date1 <= @Date2 THEN @Date2 ELSE @Date1 END AS Date2)x

    GO

    Luis C.
    General Disclaimer:
    Are you seriously taking the advice and code from someone from the internet without testing it? Do you at least understand it? Or can it easily kill your server?

    How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help: Option 1 / Option 2
  • Luis Cazares - Monday, December 18, 2017 1:44 PM

    I would take some benefit of using the integers behind and performance improvement of using an inline table-valued function.

    CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ifn_DifferenceBetweenDates
    (
      @Date1 Datetime, -- Dia inicio
      @Date2 Datetime -- Dia fin
    -- Formato: #d HH:MM:SS
    -- Sample:
    -- Set dateformat ymd
    -- SELECT *
    -- FROM SomeTable st
    -- CROSS APPLY dbo.ifn_DifferenceBetweenDates( st.Date1, st.Date2) --Samples '2017-10-01 01:46:00', '2017-10-17 10:45:00'
    -- Return: 16d 08:59:00
    )
    RETURNS TABLE
    AS
    RETURN
    SELECT CONVERT( varchar(10), CONVERT(int, Date2 - Date1)) + 'd ' + CONVERT(char(8), Date2 - Date1, 108) AS DiferenciaenHoras
    FROM (SELECT CASE WHEN @Date1 <= @Date2 THEN @Date1 ELSE @Date2 END AS Date1,
         CASE WHEN @Date1 <= @Date2 THEN @Date2 ELSE @Date1 END AS Date2)x

    GO

    +1000.  It also avoids returning a short string as a MAX blob not to mention avoiding a scalar function.

    Ah... sorry.  Found the same error in it that Scott did.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • Below is alternative method that's closer to the original technique (for good or ill).  Btw, there's a minor bug in the other code that doesn't reduce the day count if the first date has a later time than the second date.

    SELECT *
    FROM (VALUES
        ('2017-10-01 10:46:00', '2017-10-17 01:45:00'),
         ('2017-10-17 10:46:00', '2017-10-01 01:45:00')
    ) dates(date1,date2)
    CROSS APPLY dbo.ifn_DifferenceBetweenDates( date1, date2 )
    CROSS APPLY dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates2 ( date1, date2 )


    CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates2
    (
      @Date1 datetime, --Dia inicio
      @Date2 datetime --Dia fin
    )
    RETURNS TABLE
    AS
    RETURN (
      SELECT CAST(CAST(dias AS varchar(5)) + 'd ' +
       CONVERT(varchar(8), DATEADD(SECOND, segundos, 0) , 8) AS varchar(16)) AS DiferenciaenHoras
      FROM (
       SELECT CASE WHEN @Date1 > @Date2 THEN 0 ELSE DATEDIFF(SECOND, @Date1, @Date2) / (60*60*24) END AS dias,
         CASE WHEN @Date1 > @Date2 THEN 0 ELSE DATEDIFF(SECOND, @Date1, @Date2) % (60*60*24) END AS segundos
      ) AS cálculos
    )
    GO

    SQL DBA,SQL Server MVP(07, 08, 09) "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear." "Norm", on "Cheers". Also from "Cheers", from "Carla": "You need to know 3 things about Tortelli men: Tortelli men draw women like flies; Tortelli men treat women like flies; Tortelli men's brains are in their flies".

  • ScottPletcher - Tuesday, December 19, 2017 8:28 AM

    Below is alternative method that's closer to the original technique (for good or ill).  Btw, there's a minor bug in the other code that doesn't reduce the day count if the first date has a later time than the second date.

    SELECT *
    FROM (VALUES
        ('2017-10-01 10:46:00', '2017-10-17 01:45:00'),
         ('2017-10-17 10:46:00', '2017-10-01 01:45:00')
    ) dates(date1,date2)
    CROSS APPLY dbo.ifn_DifferenceBetweenDates( date1, date2 )
    CROSS APPLY dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates2 ( date1, date2 )


    CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates2
    (
      @Date1 datetime, --Dia inicio
      @Date2 datetime --Dia fin
    )
    RETURNS TABLE
    AS
    RETURN (
      SELECT CAST(CAST(dias AS varchar(5)) + 'd ' +
       CONVERT(varchar(8), DATEADD(SECOND, segundos, 0) , 8) AS varchar(16)) AS DiferenciaenHoras
      FROM (
       SELECT CASE WHEN @Date1 > @Date2 THEN 0 ELSE DATEDIFF(SECOND, @Date1, @Date2) / (60*60*24) END AS dias,
         CASE WHEN @Date1 > @Date2 THEN 0 ELSE DATEDIFF(SECOND, @Date1, @Date2) % (60*60*24) END AS segundos
      ) AS cálculos
    )
    GO

    Your method is prone to the limits of DATEDIFF(SECOND, which results in the following error...

    Msg 535, Level 16, State 0, Line 8
    The datediff function resulted in an overflow. The number of dateparts separating two date/time instances is too large. Try to use datediff with a less precise datepart.


    The maximum period that can be resolved by DATEDIFF(SECONDS is "only" 68 years, 1 month, 19 days, and 03:14:07.000. 

    Since this is a 2016 forum, you could use the new DATEDIFF_BIG function that they created to cover up the mistakes they made with not allowing direct datetime math for the DATE and DATETIME2 datatypes.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • robinson.netdevelop - Monday, December 18, 2017 9:14 AM

    It is right?

    CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates
    (
      @Date1 Datetime,       -- Dia inicio
      @Date2 Datetime        -- Dia fin
            -- Formato: #d HH:MM:SS
            -- Sample:
                            -- Set dateformat ymd
                            -- SELECT dbo.ufn_CalcularDiferenciaenHoras('2017-10-01 01:46:00', '2017-10-17 10:45:00')
                            -- Return: 16d 08:59:00
    )
    RETURNS VARCHAR(MAX)
    AS
    BEGIN
      DECLARE @OUT VARCHAR(100)
      DECLARE @segundos BIGINT
     
      SET @segundos = ( SELECT datediff(SECOND,@Date1, @Date2) ) -- AS Segundos
        SET @segundos = ISNULL(@segundos, 0)
      SET @OUT ='0d 00:00:00'
        
        IF (@segundos < 0)
            RETURN @OUT
        
        SET @OUT = CONVERT(VARCHAR, FLOOR(@segundos / 86400) ) + 'd '                        -- days
        SET @segundos = @segundos % 86400
        SET @OUT = @OUT + Right('0'+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, FLOOR(@segundos / 3600)),2) + ':'    -- hours
        SET @segundos = @segundos % 3600
        SET @OUT = @OUT + Right('0'+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, FLOOR(@segundos / 60)),2) + ':'        -- minutes
        SET @OUT = @OUT + Right('0'+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, @segundos % 60),2)                    -- seconds

        -------------
      RETURN @OUT
      -------------
    END

    GO

    Just a couple of recommendations...

    First, avoid using VARCHAR(MAX) for returns that will never be more than just 18 characters.  It'll help with memory requirements and make your scalar function a touch faster.

    Second, I personally don't like the use of "Hungarian Notation" to include the object type in the name of the object.  It's normally not necessary but I also understand if you have to follow some company spec that requires you to do so.

    Third, you should name variables either for what the actually contain or what they'll be used for instead of generalizing them as just Date1 and Date2 and then having to add comments to let everyone know what they are.

    Last but not least, scalar functions like this ten to be about 7 times slower than necessary.  There is another method, which will be covered in the second bit of code below.  First, here's how I'd write your scalar function if I had to follow a "Hungarian Notation" naming convention.  It's similar to what other people have done on this thread but has a much broader range (1 second less than 10,000 years) and it handles problems like the one Scott pointed out.


     CREATE FUNCTION dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates
    /**********************************************************************************************************************
     Purpose:
     Given two dates/times, return the formatted span of time represented by the two dates in the form of #d hh:mi:ss to a
     max of 18 characters where "#" is the number of days and will be some value from -2958463  thru 2958463.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Usage Examples:
    --===== Inputs in ascending temporal order left to right.
     SELECT dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates('2017-10-01 01:46:01', '2017-10-17 10:45:00');
    Returns: 16d 08:58:59

    --===== Inputs in descending temporal order left to right.
     SELECT dbo.ufn_DifferenceBetweenDates('2017-10-17 10:45:00','2017-10-01 01:46:01');
    Returns: -16d 08:58:59
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     1. Note that this is a Scalar function and will be ~7 times slower than an iTVF (Inline Table Value Function).

     2. Note that the maximum span that can be returned by this function is 1 second less than 10,000 years of days
        or 2958463d 23:59:59 or -2958463d 23:59:59.

     3. RETURN type is VARCHAR(18)

     4. This function works in all versions of SQL Server from 2000 to current.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Revision History:
     Rev 00 - 22 Dec 2017 - Jeff Moden
            - Inital creation and unit test.
            - Ref: https://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/FindPost1913258.aspx
    **********************************************************************************************************************/
    --===== Declare the I/O for this scalar function.
            (
             @StartDT   DATETIME
            ,@EndDT     DATETIME
            )
    RETURNS VARCHAR(18)
         AS
      BEGIN
     RETURN CASE --Calculate and format the span according to the given format depending on the direction of the inputs.
            WHEN @StartDT <= @EndDT
            THEN CONVERT(VARCHAR(8), DATEDIFF(dd,0,@EndDT-@StartDT)) +'d ' + CONVERT(CHAR(8),@EndDT-@StartDT,108)
            ELSE CONVERT(VARCHAR(8),-DATEDIFF(dd,0,@StartDT-@EndDT)) +'d ' + CONVERT(CHAR(8),@StartDT-@EndDT,108)
            END
    ;
        END
    ;
    GO

    Last but not least, Scalar functions are ~7 times slower than an "iSF" or "Inline Scalar Value Function", which don't currently exist in SQL Server.  We can, however, fake it using a "single cell" iTVF or "Inline Table Value Function".  It needs to be called in a slightly different fashion but it's well worth it for performance.  Here's the code as I would write it without "Hungarian Notation" and includes different usage examples.


     CREATE FUNCTION dbo.DifferenceBetweenDates
    /**********************************************************************************************************************
     Purpose:
     Given two dates/times in the correct left to right order, return a formatted period represented by the two dates in
     the form of #d hh:mi:ss (or -#d hh:mi:ss) to a max of 18 characters where "#" will be some value from -2958463 thru
     2958463, which is only 1 day short of a day-span of 10,000 years.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Usage Examples:
    --===== Basic Syntax for Single Period
     SELECT Span FROM dbo.DifferenceBetweenDates(@StartDT,@EndDT)
    ;
    --===== Basic Syntax for Multiple Rows from a Table.
     SELECT  ca.Span
            ,st.SomeColumns
       FROM dbo.SomeTable st
      CROSS APPLY dbo.DifferenceBetweenDates(st.StartDT,st.EndDT) ca
    ;
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Developer notes:
     1. This is a high performance iTVF (inline Table Valued Function), which executes about 7 times faster than the
        equivalent Scalar function.  Please see the following URL for more information on this subject.
        http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/91724/

     2. Note that the maximum span that can be returned by this function is 1 second less than 10,000 years of days
        or 2958463d 23:59:59 (when @StartDate <= @EndDate) or -2958463d 23:59:59 (when @StartDate > @EndDate).

     3. RETURN type is VARCHAR(18)

     4. This function works in all versions of SQL Server from 2000 to current.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Revision History:
     Rev 00 - 22 Dec 2017 - Jeff Moden
            - Inital creation and unit test.
            - Ref: https://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/FindPost1913258.aspx
    **********************************************************************************************************************/
    --===== Define the I/O for this function
            (
             @StartDT DATETIME
            ,@EndDT   DATETIME
            )
    RETURNS TABLE WITH SCHEMABINDING AS
     RETURN
    --===== Calculate format, and return the period as a "single cell" table depending on the direction of the inputs.
     SELECT Span =  CASE
                    WHEN @StartDT <= @EndDT
                    THEN CONVERT(VARCHAR(8), DATEDIFF(dd,0,@EndDT-@StartDT)) +'d ' + CONVERT(CHAR(8),@EndDT-@StartDT,108)
                    ELSE CONVERT(VARCHAR(8),-DATEDIFF(dd,0,@StartDT-@EndDT)) +'d ' + CONVERT(CHAR(8),@StartDT-@EndDT,108)
                    END
    ;
    GO

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

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