8.4.12 GetDateCount (calculate the difference between dates)

Purpose

Calculates the difference between two specified dates.

Syntax

GetDateCount (StartDate, EndDate [, UnitofDate])

Arguments

StartDate

Write the date from which to start the count in yyyy/mm/dd format. Numbers specified in the range 0 to 69 in yyyy are read as 2000 to 2069.

If an invalid value is specified for mm, an error occurs. However, if an invalid value is specified for dd, no error occurs. Instead, the GetDateCount command replaces the specified date with the equivalent valid date and returns the result.

For example, if 1999/12/33 (a nonexistent date) were specified, the GetDateCount command would replace the specified date with the valid date 2000/01/02.

EndDate

Write the date at which to end the count in yyyy/mm/dd format. Numbers specified in the range 0 to 69 in yyyy are read as 2000 to 2069. If an invalid value is specified for mm, an error occurs. However, if an invalid value is specified for dd, the GetDateCount command replaces the specified date with the equivalent valid date.

UnitofDate

Specify the units in which to calculate the elapsed time as one of the following values:

Value	Meaning
`YearU`	Get the number of elapsed years. For example, if the start date is `1998/4/1` and the end date is `1999/4/1`, the calculation result will be `1`. If the end date is `1999/3/1`, the calculation result will be `0`.
`MonthU`	Get the number of elapsed months. For example, if the start date is `1998/4/10` and the end date is `1998/5/10`, the calculation result will be `1`. If the end date is `1998/5/9`, the calculation result will be `0`.
`DayU`	Get the number of elapsed days.

Value

Meaning

YearU

Get the number of elapsed years.

For example, if the start date is 1998/4/1 and the end date is 1999/4/1, the calculation result will be 1. If the end date is 1999/3/1, the calculation result will be 0.

MonthU

Get the number of elapsed months.

For example, if the start date is 1998/4/10 and the end date is 1998/5/10, the calculation result will be 1. If the end date is 1998/5/9, the calculation result will be 0.

DayU

Get the number of elapsed days.

This value is optional. If you omit this value, DayU is assumed.

Description

The GetDateCount command calculates the difference between two specified dates, and returns the elapsed time as the command execution result. If the date specified in StartDate is later than the date specified in EndDate, a negative value is returned.

Example

' Calculate the elapsed time from 1998/4/1 to 1999/3/31
' in years, months, and days.
Dim date1, date2, yBuff, mBuff, dBuff
date1 = "1998/4/1"
date2 = "1999/3/31"
 
' The following code stores 0 in yBuff, 11 in mBuff,
' and 364 in dBuff.
yBuff = GetDateCount (date1, date2, YearU)
mBuff = GetDateCount (date1, date2, MonthU)
dBuff = GetDateCount (date1, date2, DayU)

JP1/Script version

Supported from JP1/Script 05-20.

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