Store time stamp data in configuration file?

[george seifert]

I'm trying to store time stamp data in a configuration file, but am not having much luck. I noticed there is a time stamp data type, but can't figure out how to store it directly in the ini file.

 

As a backup I tried converting the timestamp to a double first, but I keep losing digits that way. It won't store the full precision in the ini file.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

George

[ShaunR]

[Phillip Brooks]

You should be able to use the "format into string" and "scan from string" functions to store a human readable timestamp in an INI file with considerable accuracy. 

 

Try this format string:

 

 %^<%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%16uZ>T 

 

modify the 16u portion to set the fractional seconds.

 

ISO-8601 Persistent Timestamp.vi

 

LabVIEW's 128 bit timestamp is accurate to 0.05421010862427522170... attoseconds

 

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/7900/en

Edited March 18, 2013 by Phillip Brooks

[GregSands]

LabVIEW's 128 bit timestamp is accurate to 0.05421010862427522170... attoseconds

 

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/7900/en

 

Accurate.  You keep using that word.  I do think it means what you think it means.

 

Precise, sure, but accurate, no. Not yet anyway.

 

Of interest, why do the fractional seconds truncate rather than round?  If using the format in your signature (%3u) I get

2013-03-18T20:40:36.8988289833068847Z current time

2013-03-18T20:40:36.898Z formatted time

[Phillip Brooks]

You be careful. Timestamps with masks cannot be trusted.

[JackDunaway]

Of interest, why do the fractional seconds truncate rather than round?  If using the format in your signature (%3u) I get

2013-03-18T20:40:36.8988289833068847Z current time

2013-03-18T20:40:36.898Z formatted time

 

Well, it depends. At what speed were you, the observer, traveling with respect to the execution speed of the block diagram?

[Bjarne Joergensen]

What about this solution   

 

/Bjarne

[Phillip Brooks]

Well, it depends. At what speed were you, the observer, traveling with respect to the execution speed of the block diagram?

 

There's an African Swallow joke in there somewhere...

[george seifert]

t was easier than I thought.

 

 

[JackDunaway]

t was easier than I thought.

 

Replace your format specifier with the one linked by Philip Brooks for ISO-8601 and XKCD compliance. 

 

http://xkcd.com/1179/

[GregFreeman]

Replace your format specifier with the one linked by Philip Brooks for ISO-8601 and XKCD compliance. 

 

http://xkcd.com/1179/

 

I believe this also makes them ascii sortable by date 

[Ton Plomp]

I love that we are in 2013 now, makes it easier to spot the year digits.

And definitely use 8601 compliant timestamps.

 

Ton