How to decrease two min from date time field

[BETO]

hi I have a table that has a startdate/time I'm being ask to give it a 2 min buffer I need to reduce 2 min from it... Prefer as a data step if easier ....thanks

Example

ID.   Datetime     

A      05/01/15 15:25:00

what I need

id.       datetime

A.         05/01/15 15:23:00

[jakarman]

120 seconds to substract  (see the basics of datetime).  If you prefer working on intervals you could use that also having the option of dropping time (eg non office hours). 

[BETO]

HI

is it like this 05/30/15 18:25:00 -120 = 05/30/15 18:23:00 ?

[Jagadishkatam]

You could also use intnx function

data dates;

input ID$   Datetime : anydtdte20.;

new_date=intnx('second',datetime,-120,'same');

format datetime new_date datetime20.;

cards;

A      05/01/15 15:25:00

;

Thanks,

Jag

[PGStats · Accepted solution]

No need to bother with datetime internal representation, substract a time constant (thanks Jag)

data dates;

input ID$   Datetime & :anydtdtm20.;

new_date = datetime - '00:02:00't;

format datetime new_date datetime20.;

datalines;

A      05/01/15 15:25:00

;

proc print; run;

PG

[jakarman]

Correct PGstats, your example is showing the usage of knowing the internal representation in a way not being aware it anymore.
It is having:

- a datetime variable being input from a string. That internal representation is a counter based on seconds. (1jan1960)

- substracting those 120 seconds as a converted string being defined as string-time constant

This will be a new valid datetime variabele wit a value as OP's wanted.

Not being aware why something is working is making it difficult to explain to the newbies.
This is having a good background not everything is having a background and can be explained or is having a reason.
    

[Kurt_Bremser]

The secret behind it all is that SAS stores dates as simple numbers, counting the days from 01/01/1960. Similarly, datetimes (and times) are stored as numbers counting seconds.

Therefore, '00:02:00't and 120 are the same constant.

What is needed is to correctly input date/datetime/time values into a SAS dataset, using the proper informat.

As shown by