Joda time calculating the days, hours, minutes, and seconds between two datetime objects

Question

I am trying to find the days, hours, minutes and seconds between two date/times. I thought I could use period and I tried the code below but I get a non nonsensical answer.

    DateTime dt1 = new DateTime("2004-12-13T21:39:45.618-06:00");
    DateTime dt2 = new DateTime("2004-12-13T21:39:45.618-08:00");
    Period p = new Period(dt1, dt2);

    System.out.println("Test: " + p);

From this I get output:

I/System.out: Test: PT2H

Not sure what this is meant to mean.

Thanks for your help

Can you explain why it's nonsensical and what output would make sense to you? — Marko Topolnik, Sep 14 '16 at 12:28
Because to me it makes no sense. I thought that made sense haha — Nicholas Muir, Sep 14 '16 at 12:29
Please specify what _does_ make sense to you. `PT2H` perfectly describes the period of 2 hours. — Marko Topolnik, Sep 14 '16 at 12:30
Whether I did or didn't explain it was entirely non-obvious to me because you didn't specify what exactly didn't make sense. But I'm glad if I managed to accidentally help you. — Marko Topolnik, Sep 14 '16 at 12:32

albciff · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-14T12:45:38.403

toString() method in Period gives you the value as ISO8601 duration format.

From the API:

Gets the value as a String in the style of the ISO8601 duration format. Technically, the output can breach the ISO specification as weeks may be included. For example, "PT6H3M5S" represents 6 hours, 3 minutes, 5 seconds.

As you ask to get separately the days,hours,minutes and seconds you can use the convenient get methods from the API:

import org.joda.time.DateTime;
import org.joda.time.Period;

...
DateTime dt1 = new DateTime("2004-12-13T21:39:45.618-06:00");
DateTime dt2 = new DateTime("2004-12-13T21:39:45.618-08:00");
Period p = new Period(dt1, dt2);

System.out.println("DAYS: " + p.getDays())
System.out.println("HOURS: " + p.getHours());
System.out.println("MINUTES: " + p.getMinutes());
System.out.println("SECONDS: " + p.getSeconds());

Or alternatively as other answers suggests use PeriodFormatter.

Thanks for the explanation it is really appreciated. The to string method just gave the same answer. But it gives me a clear explanation of the output I was giving. Thanks again. — Nicholas Muir, Sep 14 '16 at 12:35
@NicholasMuir because `System.out.println` implicit invoke the `toString()` method on your object. Nice to help you. — albciff, Sep 14 '16 at 12:37

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 15 '16 at 10:10

Period is printed in ISO format

The standard ISO format - PyYmMwWdDThHmMsS.

If you need to find days, hours, minutes and seconds between two days, you should convert period to specific type. E.g.:

  Period p = new Period(dt1, dt2);
  System.out.println("Days: " + p.toStandardDays().getDays());
  System.out.println("Hours: " + p.toStandardHours().getHours());
  System.out.println("Minutes: " + p.toStandardMinutes().getMinutes());
  System.out.println("Seconds: " + p.toStandardSeconds().getSeconds());

or use special static methods in classes Days, Hours, Minutes and Seconds

  System.out.println("Days: " + Days.daysBetween(dt1, dt2));
  System.out.println("Hours: " + Hours.hoursBetween(dt1, dt2));
  System.out.println("Minutes: " + Minutes.minutesBetween(dt1, dt2));
  System.out.println("Seconds: " + Seconds.secondsBetween(dt1, dt2));

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:00

1

I think you'll have to format the object of period. Refer this link Period to string

edited May 23 '17 at 12:00

Community

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answered Sep 14 '16 at 12:29

Abhishek

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 14 '16 at 12:32

1

You need to format your Period. A simple way is to use the default one like this:

PeriodFormat.getDefault().print(period)

You can also create your own format with PeriodFormatter.

answered Sep 14 '16 at 12:32

marstran

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Joda time calculating the days, hours, minutes, and seconds between two datetime objects

4 Answers4