DateTimeStamper

Adds the current date, time, or both as an attribute, in either local or UTC time.

Typical Uses

Adding timestamps to features
Time-based sorting, comparison, and retrieval

How does it work?

The DateTimeStamper receives features and adds the current date and time to them as an attribute.

Stamps may include date, time, or both, and may optionally include fractional seconds (up to nanosecond precision, depending on platform).

Both local and universal time zones are supported, with the option to include UTC time zone offsets.

Timestamps may be set per feature, per transformer, or per translation. They are output in either ISO 8601 format or Standard FME Date/Time Format.

Usage Notes

To format timestamps for a destination writer, use DateTimeConverter.
The DateTimeStamper can be used in conjunction with the DateTimeCalculator to compute relative dates such as tomorrow, yesterday, a week from now, and so on.

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

General

Type

Select the content type to include in the stamp:

Date
Time
Datetime

Time Zone

Select the time zone for the stamp:

Local: Use the current local date and time.
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): Use the current UTC date and time.

Note The date may change if this parameter choice is changed.

Include Time Zone Offset

When Type is Time or Datetime, select an option:

No (default): No UTC offset is applied.
Yes: UTC offset of the timestamp will be set according to Time Zone .

Include Fractional Seconds

Select an option:

Yes (default): The timestamp will contain fractional seconds with platform-dependent precision.
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.

Output Format

Select the datetime format for output:

ISO (default) - See ISO 8601
FME - See Standard FME Date/Time Format

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.