datetime conversion

[y_fu]

After I import the file, there is a column:

Start date

28MAR18:13:00:53
28MAR18:13:01:30
02APR18:14:23:14
02APR18:14:23:14

...

I want to calculate a new column to convert the column above to seconds, how can I do that?

[novinosrin]

Is your datetime variable a numeric one just formatted with datetime format or is it a char?

If it is formatted, remove the format , you will see the number of seconds since January 1, 1960.

Or if you are looking to extract seconds from the datetime value, use  second function

s=second(datetime);

[y_fu]

It is not numeric, it is char. This is the reason I cannot convert them into seconds.

[novinosrin]

Aah ok,

newvar= input(datetime, datetime20.);

will give you numeric datetime value

[Kurt_Bremser]

---

@y_fu wrote:

It is not numeric, it is char. This is the reason I cannot convert them into seconds.

---

Still better: use the datetime18. informat when reading the external file..

[ballardw]

---

@y_fu wrote:

It is not numeric, it is char. This is the reason I cannot convert them into seconds.

---

Seconds from when?