How to calculate the difference between two datetimes in minutes?

[Andalusia]

I tried to calculate Diff by doing computed column > Advanced expression and then `datetime() - t1.datetime / 60 `. Diff is actually the difference between SAS_update and DateTime, SAS_Update is just the lastruntime (datetime())

This is what I got:

I get a very weird value but I expected Diff to have value -1 because there is a a difference of -1 minutes between them SAS_update and DateTime...

[andreas_lds]

Use the function intck.

Datetime-variables are, without a format, the number of seconds passed from 1Jan1960 to the actual datetime. The function takes care of the details, if you need the difference in minutes, then use "dtminute" as interval.

[Andalusia]

Could you show an example?

[Kurt_Bremser]

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@Andalusia wrote:
Could you show an example?

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Looks like this:

intck('minute',t1.datetime,datetime(),"c")

The "c" (for continuous) means that difference / 60 is used, and not the count of minute boundaries between the two values (90 seconds difference can turn out to be 2 minutes if the default is used).

For reference, run this:

data _null_;
time = datetime();
rc = sleep (119,1);
diff1 = intck('minute',time,datetime(),"c");
diff2 = intck('minute',time,datetime());
put _all_;
run;

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

Your approach is OK, but you need to add parentheses. Without them, SAS performs division first, then subtraction. Use parentheses to force the subtraction to take place first.