ToDate

The ToDate function attempts to convert its input to a date.  

ToDate ( value )

The value parameter holds the value to be converted. If the value is a number, it will be interpreted as the number of nanoseconds since 1990. The value can also be a string in a recognized date format.

1.  mm-dd-year hh:mn:ss.sf (e.g., 08-15-2011 9:18:24.123456789)

2.  dd-mm-year hh:mn:ss.sf (e.g., 15-08-2011 9:18:24.123456789)

3.  yearmmdd hh:mn:ss.sf (e.g., 20110815 9:18:24.123456789)

4.  mon dd year hh:mn:ss.sf (e.g., Aug 15 2011 9:18:24.123456789)

5.  dd mon year hh:mn:ss.sf (e.g., 15 Aug 2011 9:18:24.123456789)

6.  year-mm-dd hh:mn:ss.sf (e.g., 2011-08-15 9:18:24.123456789)

NOTE: The computer’s locale settings are used to distinguish between format 1 and format 2. 

NOTE: The formats above show separators commonly used for the specified format. However, any of the following separators can be used to separate the items in the date and time:  /  -  ;  :  .  T or a space.

mm = 2-digit month

dd = 2-digit day of the month

year = 4-digit year (If the century is omitted, its value will be assumed based upon the value of the decade.)

hh = 2-digit hours into day

mn = 2-digit minutes into hour

ss = 2-digit seconds into minute

sf = 9-digit fractional seconds up to nanoseconds resolution

mon = abbreviated month name

NOTE: Only English month name abbreviations are currently supported.  

Example #1

In the following example, DateTimeIn is a string variable in a recognized date format. This expression returns that value as a timestamp (e.g., if DateTimeIn is "Jan 01, 1990 01:01:01", the timestamp 1/1/1990 1:01:01 AM is returned):

ToDate("Server:CR1000.Public.DateTimeIn")

Example #2

The following example will add one hour to the timestamp:

ToDate(ToInt(TimeStamp(Server:CR1000.one_sec.temp_degf)+nsecPerHour))

Example #3

The following example takes YEAR, MONTH, DAY, HOUR, MINUTE, and SECOND values that are stored in a Virtual data source and converts them to a timestamp:

ToDate($"" + "Virtual:values.YEAR" + $"-" + "Virtual:values.MONTH" + $"-" + "Virtual:values.DAY" + $" " + "Virtual:values.HOUR" + $":" + "Virtual:values.MINUTE" + $":" + "Virtual:values.SECOND")