topic Re: Adjusting Time in SAS Programming

Adjusting Time

iSAS — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 10:45:49 GMT

%let time= %sysfunc(compress(%str(%')%sysfunc(time(),time.)%str(%'t)));

%put &time.;

Variable time will get the current time. May I know how to adjust the program wherein it will get the time 14 hours earlier. Example, if the current time id 20:00:00, I want to get the time 14 hours earlier which is 06:00:00. Thanks.

Re: Adjusting Time

novinosrin — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:03:58 GMT

Hi @iSAS You would need INTNX function (hour interval)

https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Communities-Library/INTNX-and-INTCK-Function-Examples/ta-p/475168?title=INTNX_Function_examples

Re: Adjusting Time

ed_sas_member — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:04:32 GMT

Hi @iSAS

The following macro variable will return the current time minus 14hours. The result is a numeric value, which can be used for further calculation (even if not 'human-readable').

%let time = %sysfunc(intnx(hour,%sysfunc(time()),-14));
%put &time.;

I you want to format it (which is not recommended except for use in title for example), you can do that:

%let time = %sysfunc(intnx(hour,%sysfunc(time()),-14),time.);
%put &time.;

Re: Adjusting Time

Kurt_Bremser — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:05:12 GMT

%let time_minus_14_f=%sysfunc(intnx(hour,%sysfunc(time()),-14,s),time8.);
%put &=time_minus_14_f; /* just to show that it works */
%let time_minus_14=%sysfunc(intnx(hour,%sysfunc(time()),-14,s));
%put &=time_minus_14; /* this is the value you want to work with */

Note that, for the vast majority of use cases, it is better to store the raw (unformatted) value, as it causes less hassle when creating it (no %str(%'t) needed) and using it in comparisons or as macro parameters (no quoting needed). The only time you need formatted values in macro variables is when you need them for display (e.g. in a title statement).

Also see Maxim 28.