Automation Engine Script Guide > Ordered by Function > Date and Time > DIFF_DATE

DIFF_DATE

Script Function: Determines the difference between two date entries in days.

Syntax

DIFF_DATE(Date1, Date2)

Syntax	Description/Format
Date1 and Date2	Indication of a date in the format "YYMMDD" or "YYYYMMDD". Format: script literal or script variable It is also possible to specify a different date format. Do so by entering the required date format, then enter a separator (: or ;) and afterwards the date. Indicating a date format is optional.

Syntax

Description/Format

Date1
and
Date2

Indication of a date in the format "YYMMDD" or "YYYYMMDD".

Format: script literal or script variable

It is also possible to specify a different date format. Do so by entering the required date format, then enter a separator (: or ;) and afterwards the date. Indicating a date format is optional.

Return code
Number of days lying between the two indicated dates

Comments

This script function determines the distance between Date1 and Date2 in days. It is possible for Date2 to be before or after Date1.

When defining dates, Date Format is optional. If no particular Date Format has been defined, the date must be entered in the format "YYMMDD" or "YYYYMMDD". You can use a colon or semicolon as a separator between Date Format and date.

Example

The first example calculates the difference between date entries. The dates use the default format "YYMMDD" and "YYYYMMDD". The result "1" is output in the report.

:SET &DIFF# = DIFF_DATE("000330","20000331")
:PRINT &DIFF#

In the second example, the date entries are assigned to the script variables. The script function is called with this script variable. Because the data do not use a default format, the special date format must also be used with the script variables. The result "366" is output in the report.

:SET &DATE1# = "01-01-2000"
:SET &DATE2# = "01012001"
:SET &DIFF# = DIFF_DATE("DD-MM-YYYY:&DATE1#", "DDMMYYYY;&DATE2#")
:PRINT &DIFF#

The third example has the same result as the second example. The difference here is that the script variables are assigned a date format and a date.

:SET &DATE1# = "DD-MM-YYYY:01-01-2000"
:SET &DATE2# = "DDMMYYYY:01012001"
:SET &DIFF# = DIFF_DATE(&DATE1#, &DATE2#)
:PRINT &DIFF#