Date and time functions

This section covers the set of YCQL built-in functions that work on the date and time data types: DATE, TIME, TIMESTAMP, or TIMEUUID.

currentdate(), currenttime(), and currenttimestamp()

Use these functions to return the current system date and time in UTC time zone.

  • They take no arguments.
  • The return value is a DATE, TIME, or TIMESTAMP, respectively.

Examples

Insert values using currentdate(), currenttime(), and currenttimestamp()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_current (k INT PRIMARY KEY, d DATE, t TIME, ts TIMESTAMP);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_current (k, d, t, ts) VALUES (1, currentdate(), currenttime(), currenttimestamp());

Comparison using currentdate() and currenttime()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT * FROM test_current WHERE d = currentdate() and t < currenttime();

 k | d          | t                  | ts
---+------------+--------------------+---------------------------------
 1 | 2018-10-09 | 18:00:41.688216000 | 2018-10-09 18:00:41.688000+0000

now()

This function generates a new unique version 1 UUID (TIMEUUID).

  • It takes in no arguments.
  • The return value is a TIMEUUID.

Examples

Insert values using now()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_now (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v TIMEUUID);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_now (k, v) VALUES (1, now());

Select using now()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT now() FROM test_now;

 now()
---------------------------------------
 b75bfaf6-4fe9-11e8-8839-6336e659252a

Comparison using now()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT v FROM test_now WHERE v < now();

 v
---------------------------------------
 71bb5104-4fe9-11e8-8839-6336e659252a

todate()

This function converts a timestamp or TIMEUUID to the corresponding date.

  • It takes in an argument of type TIMESTAMP or TIMEUUID.
  • The return value is a DATE.
ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_todate (k INT PRIMARY KEY, ts TIMESTAMP);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_todate (k, ts) VALUES (1, currenttimestamp());

ycqlsh:example> SELECT todate(ts) FROM test_todate;

 todate(ts)
------------
 2018-10-09

minTimeUUID()

This function generates corresponding (TIMEUUID) with minimum node/clock component so that it includes all regular TIMEUUID with that timestamp when comparing with another TIMEUUID.

  • It takes in an argument of type TIMESTAMP.
  • The return value is a TIMEUUID.

Examples

Insert values using now()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_min (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v TIMEUUID);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_min (k, v) VALUES (1, now());

ycqlsh:ybdemo> select k, v, totimestamp(v) from test_min;

 k | v                                    | totimestamp(v)
---+--------------------------------------+---------------------------------
 1 | dc79344c-cb79-11ec-915e-5219fa422f77 | 2022-05-04 07:14:39.205000+0000

(1 rows)

Select using minTimeUUID()

ycqlsh:ybdemo> SELECT * FROM test_min WHERE v > minTimeUUID('2022-04-04 13:42:00+0000');

 k | v
---+--------------------------------------
 1 | dc79344c-cb79-11ec-915e-5219fa422f77

(1 rows)

maxTimeUUID()

This function generates corresponding (TIMEUUID) with maximum clock component so that it includes all regular TIMEUUID with that timestamp when comparing with another TIMEUUID.

  • It takes in an argument of type TIMESTAMP.
  • The return value is a TIMEUUID.

Examples

Insert values using now()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_max (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v TIMEUUID);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_max (k, v) VALUES (1, now());

ycqlsh:ybdemo> SELECT k, v, totimestamp(v) from test_max;

 k | v                                    | totimestamp(v)
---+--------------------------------------+---------------------------------
 1 | e9261bcc-395a-11eb-9edc-112a0241eb23 | 2020-12-08 13:40:18.636000+0000

(1 rows)

Select using maxTimeUUID()

ycqlsh:ybdemo> SELECT * FROM test_max WHERE v <= maxTimeUUID('2022-05-05 00:34:32+0000');

 k | v
---+--------------------------------------
 1 | dc79344c-cb79-11ec-915e-5219fa422f77

(1 rows)

totimestamp()

This function converts a date or TIMEUUID to the corresponding timestamp.

  • It takes in an argument of type DATE or TIMEUUID.
  • The return value is a TIMESTAMP.

Examples

Insert values using totimestamp()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_totimestamp (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v TIMESTAMP);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_totimestamp (k, v) VALUES (1, totimestamp(now()));

Select using totimestamp()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT totimestamp(now()) FROM test_totimestamp;

 totimestamp(now())
---------------------------------
 2018-05-04 22:32:56.966000+0000

Comparison using totimestamp()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT v FROM test_totimestamp WHERE v < totimestamp(now());

 v
---------------------------------
 2018-05-04 22:32:46.199000+0000

dateof()

This function converts a TIMEUUID to the corresponding timestamp.

  • It takes in an argument of type TIMEUUID.
  • The return value is a TIMESTAMP.

Examples

Insert values using dateof()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_dateof (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v TIMESTAMP);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_dateof (k, v) VALUES (1, dateof(now()));

Select using dateof()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT dateof(now()) FROM test_dateof;

 dateof(now())
---------------------------------
 2018-05-04 22:43:28.440000+0000

Comparison using dateof()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT v FROM test_dateof WHERE v < dateof(now());

 v
---------------------------------
 2018-05-04 22:43:18.626000+0000

tounixtimestamp()

This function converts TIMEUUID, date, or timestamp to a UNIX timestamp (which is equal to the number of millisecond since epoch Thursday, 1 January 1970).

  • It takes in an argument of type TIMEUUID, DATE or TIMESTAMP.
  • The return value is a BIGINT.

Examples

Insert values using tounixtimestamp()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_tounixtimestamp (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v BIGINT);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_tounixtimestamp (k, v) VALUES (1, tounixtimestamp(now()));

Select using tounixtimestamp()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT tounixtimestamp(now()) FROM test_tounixtimestamp;

 tounixtimestamp(now())
------------------------
          1525473993436

Comparison using tounixtimestamp()

You can do this as follows:

ycqlsh:example> SELECT v from test_tounixtimestamp WHERE v < tounixtimestamp(now());

 v
---------------
 1525473942979

unixtimestampof()

This function converts TIMEUUID or timestamp to a unix timestamp (which is equal to the number of millisecond since epoch Thursday, 1 January 1970).

  • It takes in an argument of type TIMEUUID or type TIMESTAMP.
  • The return value is a BIGINT.

Examples

Insert values using unixtimestampof()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_unixtimestampof (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v BIGINT);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_unixtimestampof (k, v) VALUES (1, unixtimestampof(now()));

Select using unixtimestampof()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT unixtimestampof(now()) FROM test_unixtimestampof;

 unixtimestampof(now())
------------------------
          1525474361676

Comparison using unixtimestampof()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT v from test_unixtimestampof WHERE v < unixtimestampof(now());

 v
---------------
 1525474356781

uuid()

This function generates a new unique version 4 UUID (UUID).

  • It takes in no arguments.
  • The return value is a UUID.

Examples

Insert values using uuid()

ycqlsh:example> CREATE TABLE test_uuid (k INT PRIMARY KEY, v UUID);

ycqlsh:example> INSERT INTO test_uuid (k, v) VALUES (1, uuid());

Selecting the inserted uuid value

ycqlsh:example> SELECT v FROM test_uuid WHERE k = 1;

 v
---------------------------------------
 71bb5104-4fe9-11e8-8839-6336e659252a

Select using uuid()

ycqlsh:example> SELECT uuid() FROM test_uuid;

 uuid()
--------------------------------------
 12f91a52-ebba-4461-94c5-b73f0914284a

See also