DateTimeStamper

Adds a timestamp to a feature as a new attribute in the form of a date, time (with or without UTC offset), or datetime (with or without UTC offset), in local or UTC time.

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Typical Uses

Adding timestamps to features

How does it work?

DateTimeStamper can be used to generate today's date, and be used with DateTimeCalculator to compute tomorrow's and yesterday's dates. It can be used to leave a fractional timestamp on a feature, which allows output features to be sorted and retrieved by timestamps. Timestamps also facilitate comparison operations. To format timestamps for a destination writer, use DateTimeConverter.

The timestamps created are in the Standard FME Date/Time Format.

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

General

Type

This parameter can be set to one of the following values: Date, Time, or Datetime. All these types are output in the Standard FME Date/Time Format.

Time Zone

If set to Local, the current local date/time is output. If set to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the current UTC date/time is output.

Note If Type is set to Date, the value of Date may change when the value of Time Zone changes.

Include Time Zone Offset

If Type is set to Date, or if this parameter is set to No, no UTC offset is output. Otherwise, if this parameter is set to Yes, the UTC offset of the timestamp will be set according to the value of the Time Zone parameter.

Include Fractional Seconds

If Yes, the timestamp will contain nanoseconds.

If No, nanoseconds will be excluded.

Update Time

Select the interval at which the timestamp is updated:

Each Feature	Time is updated for every feature received.
Each Transformer	Each DateTimeStamper in the workspace receives a current timestamp as the first feature enters it.
Each Translation	Time is set once per workspace run, as the first feature is timestamped.

Editing Transformer Parameters

Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click beside the applicable parameter.

How to Set Parameter Values

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.

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

Table Tools

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

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.

For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Reference

Processing Behavior	Feature-Based
Feature Holding	No
Dependencies	None
Aliases	TimeStamper DateStamper
History

FME Online Resources

The FME Community and Support Center Knowledge Base have a wealth of information, including active forums with 35,000+ members and thousands of articles.

Search for all results about the DateTimeStamper on the FME Community.

Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver, Open Government Licence - British Columbia, and/or Open Government Licence – Canada.