DateTimeConverter

Converts a set of input date/time attributes from one format to another, in place.

Typical Uses

Converting dates and times between formats

How does it work?

The DateTimeConverter can be used to convert date/time values into Standard FME Date/Time Format, and convert standard FME date/time values in a destination format.

The input can contain a date, a time (with or without UTC offset), a datetime (with or without UTC offset), or a Unix epoch time.

Converting Multiple Attributes

Multiple attributes can be selected for conversion in the Datetime Attributes parameter.

If all attribute values are successfully converted, the feature exits via the Output port.

If any values fail conversion, the feature is rejected, and output via the <Rejected> port. However, all requested attributes are still processed and any successfully converted values will be present in the rejected feature.

Note Input Format and Output Format presets can be used for date/time validation. For example, by setting both input and output format strings to "FME", non-FME datetime values will be rejected by DateTimeConverter. Repair Overflow allows leap seconds and other overflow parts to be rolled forward.

Usage Notes

See FME Date/Time Functions for information on functions that parse, format, and manipulate date, time, and datetime values.
See FME Date/Time Format for detailed value formatting.

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

General

Datetime Attributes	Select one or more attributes that contain date/time values.
Input Format	Specify a format string inline, or specify an attribute that contains a format string. There are several presets to choose from. For information on the presets <Auto detect FME and ISO formats>, FME (auto detect), and ISO (auto detect), please see format flag documentation for "FME" and "ISO".
Output Format	Specify a format string inline, or specify an attribute that contains a format string. There are several presets to choose from. For information on the presets FME (auto format), and ISO (auto format), please see format flag documentation for "FME" and "ISO".
Repair Overflow	If set to Yes, overflow date/time parts such as leap seconds will be rolled forward. For example, 2017-02-29 would be repaired into 2017-03-01. If set to No, input containing overflow date/time parts will be rejected. For details, please see "repair" mode in @DateTimeParse() documentation.
Passthrough Nulls, Empties, or Missing	If this parameter is No, any attributes specified in Datetime Attributes that are null, missing or have an empty value will result in the feature being rejected. If this parameter is Yes, then any null, missing, or empty attributes will be left unchanged and will not cause the feature to be rejected.

Note that using string formatting functions (such as @LowerCase()) in a date format string may produce unexpected results and is not recommended.

Editing Transformer Parameters

Using a set of menu options, transformer parameters can be assigned by referencing other elements in the workspace. More advanced functions, such as an advanced editor and an arithmetic editor, are also available in some transformers. To access a menu of these options, click beside the applicable parameter. For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Defining Values

There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters. There are a number of tools and shortcuts that can assist in constructing values, generally available from the drop-down context menu adjacent to the value field.

How to Set Parameter Values

Using the Text Editor

The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Text Editor

Using the Arithmetic Editor

The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Arithmetic Editor

Conditional Values

Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.

Parameter Condition Definition Dialog

Content

Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.

When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.

Content Types

String Functions	These functions manipulate and format strings.
Special Characters	A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor.
Math Functions	Math functions are available in both editors.
Date/Time Functions	Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor.
Math Operators	These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor.
FME Feature Functions	These return primarily feature-specific values.
FME Parameters	FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used.
Creating and Modifying User Parameters	Create your own editable parameters.

Dialog Options - Tables

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

Table Tools

Row Reordering

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

Add a row
Remove a row
Move current row up one
Move current row down one
Move current row to top
Move current row to bottom

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

Cut a row - delete and copy to clipboard
Copy a row to the clipboard
Paste a row from the clipboard

Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers.

Filter

Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output.

Import

Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers.

Reset/Refresh

Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers.

Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.

Reference

Processing Behavior	Feature-Based
Feature Holding	No
Dependencies	None
Aliases	DateConverter DateFormatter DateParser DateTimeFormatConverter DateTimeFormatter DateTimeParser DateTimeValidator DateValidator
History

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