Calculating time difference in batch file

Question

In batch file, I query the date/time via WMIC, then reconfiguring it a "YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS" format...

@Echo Off
Cls
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion EnableExtensions
Call :DATETIME
Echo.
Echo  %DateTime%^|Info^|Process started...
REM DO STUFF
Ping -n 8 localhost>Nul 2>Nul
REM FINISH DOING STUFF
Call :DATETIME
Echo.
Echo  %DateTime%^|Info^|Process complete.
REM CALCULATE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN START AND FINISH DATETIME STAMPS HERE
Echo.
Echo  Run time was [days_and-or_hours_and-or_minutes_and-or_seconds].
EndLocal
Exit /B
:DATETIME
For /F "Tokens=* Delims=" %%A In ('WMIC OS Get LocalDateTime ^|Find "."') Do @Set DT=%%A
Set Year=%DT:~0,4%
Set Month=%DT:~4,2%
Set Day=%DT:~6,2%
Set Hour=%DT:~8,2%
Set Minute=%DT:~10,2%
Set Second=%DT:~12,2%
Set DateTime=%Year%%Month%%Day%.%Hour%%Minute%%Second%
Goto :EOF

How can I calculate the date/time difference (it may go over one day) between those two custom date/time stamps? It seems like it should be a simple task, but just can't figure it out.

Thanx in advance.

Answer 1

This should do the trick...

@Echo Off
Cls
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion EnableExtensions

For /F "Tokens=* Delims=" %%A In ('WMIC OS Get LocalDateTime ^|Find "."') Do @Set DT=%%A
Set Year0=%DT:~0,4%
Set Month0=%DT:~4,2%
Set Day0=%DT:~6,2%
Set Hour0=%DT:~8,2%
Set Minute0=%DT:~10,2%
Set Second0=%DT:~12,2%
Set DateTime0=%Year0%-%Month0%-%Day0%.%Hour0%:%Minute0%:%Second0%

Echo.
Echo  %DateTime0%^|Info^|Process started...
REM DO STUFF
Ping -n 8 localhost>Nul 2>Nul
REM FINISH DOING STUFF

For /F "Tokens=* Delims=" %%A In ('WMIC OS Get LocalDateTime ^|Find "."') Do @Set DT=%%A
Set Year1=%DT:~0,4%
Set Month1=%DT:~4,2%
Set Day1=%DT:~6,2%
Set Hour1=%DT:~8,2%
Set Minute1=%DT:~10,2%
Set Second1=%DT:~12,2%
Set DateTime1=%Year1%-%Month1%-%Day1%.%Hour1%:%Minute1%:%Second1%

Echo.
Echo  %DateTime1%^|Info^|Process complete.
REM CALCULATE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN START AND FINISH DATETIME STAMPS HERE
set /a "Seconds = (1%Day1% - 1%Day0%) * 86400 + (1%Hour1% - 1%Hour0%) * 3600 + (1%Minute1% - 1%Minute0%) * 60 + (1%Second1% - 1%Second0%)"

Echo.
Echo  Run time was %Seconds% seconds.
EndLocal
Exit /B

The output...

 2023-03-23.19:49:55|Info|Process started...

 2023-03-23.19:50:02|Info|Process complete.

 Run time was 7 seconds.

Answer 2

I think batch files are outdated these days. I used to use them often and have switched to C#. Once you get over the bump of learning it, you can do these things easily: (vs. the batch file script is tough to work with!)

1. download/install visual studio community (its free)
2. create a new C# console application.
3. enter the code below
4. In the project file, you will see the exe file.

Hopefully this helps. I know this is not exactly what you were looking for.

using System;

DateTime startDateTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine($"{startDateTime}|Info|Process started...");

/////// DO STUFF //////////
System.Diagnostics.Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
//startInfo.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
startInfo.FileName = "Ping.exe";
startInfo.Arguments = " -n 8 localhost";
process.StartInfo = startInfo;
process.Start();
process.WaitForExit();
//////// END /////////////////

DateTime endDateTime = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLine("{endDateTime}|Info|Process complete.");

// calculate date/time difference 
TimeSpan runTime = endDateTime - startDateTime;
Console.WriteLine($"Run time was {FormatTimeSpan(runTime)}.");


static string FormatTimeSpan(TimeSpan timeSpan)
{
    return $"""
            {timeSpan.Days} day{(timeSpan.Days == 1 ? "" : "s")} 
            {timeSpan.Hours} hour{(timeSpan.Hours == 1 ? "" : "s")}
            {timeSpan.Minutes} minute{(timeSpan.Minutes == 1 ? "" : "s")}
            {timeSpan.Seconds} second{(timeSpan.Seconds == 1 ? "" : "s")}
            """;
}