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Status Delivered
Workspace IBM i
Categories Db2 for i
Created by Guest
Created on May 12, 2021

Change SQL function TIMESTAMPDIFF result from INTEGER to BIGINT

The SQL scalar function TIMESTAMPDIFF currently returns an INTEGER result. When requesting a result in microseconds, INTEGER only works for a difference of about 35 minutes before getting an SQLSTATE 22001 error.

A BIGINT result would allow a much larger difference.


Use Case:

On an IBM i, logging jobs' duration in microseconds fails when a job's duration is longer than about 35 minutes:

SELECT JOB_NAME
, JOB_ACTIVE_TIME
, JOB_END_TIME
, TIMESTAMPDIFF(1, char(JOB_END_TIME - JOB_ACTIVE_TIME)) uSeconds
FROM TABLE(QSYS2/JOB_INFO( JOB_USER_FILTER => 'myusrid')) JI
WHERE JOB_NAME = '123456/myusrid/myjob'

JOB_NAME JOB_ACTIVE_TIME JOB_END_TIME USECONDS
123456/myusrid/myjob 2021-05-08-06.20.48 2021-05-08-07.46.29 ++++++++++++++


Idea priority Low
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Dec 1, 2022
    This enhancement was delivered in December 2022 with IBM i 7.5 PTF Group level 3 and IBM i 7.4 PTF Group level 23.

    A new SQL scalar function, TIMESTAMPDIFF_BIG, was added that returns a BIGINT result value

    See this IBM Documentation page for the details: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=functions-timestampdiff-big


    Db2 for i development team
    IBM Power Systems Development
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Oct 14, 2021

    The CEAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a “nice to have” LOW priority feature. This might be the spark to change standards. In the meantime, there are plenty of workarounds available.

    Background: The COMMON Europe Advisory Council (CEAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CEAC has a crucial role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

    To find out how CEAC help to shape the future of IBM i, see CEAC @ ibm.biz/BdYSYj and the article "The Five Hottest IBM i RFEs Of The Quarter" at ibm.biz/BdYSZT

    Therese Eaton – CEAC Program Manager, IBM

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 15, 2021

    IBM will use this request as input to planning but no commitment is made or implied. This request will be updated in the future if IBM implements it.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    May 19, 2021

    On seconds thoughts. I would be more flexible if an new UDTF could return DECFLOAT in seconds with decimals since timestamps now a day can be specified with fractions.

    The implementation could be similar to this:

    create or replace function qusrsys.timestamp_diff_ex (
    t1 timestamp(9),
    t2 timestamp(9)
    ) returns decfloat(34)
    begin
    return DECFLOAT (t1 - t2 ,34);
    end;

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    May 18, 2021

    The CAAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a “nice to have” low priority feature. If it works up to 35 minutes, it should not fail after 35 minutes.

    Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community, and has therefore reviewed your RFE.

    For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac

    Nancy Uthke-Schmucki - CAAC Program Manager