Question

Postgresql Interval Query

Asked by: mpginsburg

I am outputting a table that has a user's response with the period of time that has elapsed next to it

John Smith     |   Yes (15 mins ago)
Bob Jones     |    No ( 12 days ago)
Sally Thomas  |   Yes (1 month ago)

I have a table that holds the last updated time, but am having trouble getting the elapsed time.  I know that I can get the interval doing:
SELECT NOW() - last_updated
FROM ...

And I know that I can use the EXTRACT or DATE_PART functions to get the value that I need, but I want it to round to the nearest unit such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years

I would prefer to not use PHP to do the calculations.  Any thoughts?

Postgresql 8.1.8
PHP 5.2.1

MG

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Asked On
2007-06-01 at 09:00:30ID22607319
Tags

interval

,

postgresql

Topics

PostgreSQL Database

,

PHP and Databases

Participating Experts
1
Points
250
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: earthman2Posted on 2007-06-03 at 02:24:36ID: 19203293

create or replace function nice_interval( in dt interval ) returns interval as $$
declare
seconds int := extract( SECOND from dt );
days    int := extract( DAY    from dt );
months  int := extract( MONTH  from dt );
minutes int := extract( MINUTE from dt );
hours   int := extract( HOUR   from dt );
begin
  if ( months = 0 ) then
    if ( days = 0 ) then
      if hours != 0  then
        return hours * interval '1 hour';
      elsif minutes != 0 then
        return minutes * interval '1 minute';
      elsif seconds = 0 then
        return dt;
      else
        return seconds * interval '1 second';
      end if;
    else
      return days * interval '1 day';
    end if;
  else
    return months * interval '1 month';
  end if;
end;
$$ language plpgsql;

 

by: earthman2Posted on 2007-06-03 at 03:18:47ID: 19203360

create or replace function nice_interval( in dt interval ) returns interval as $$
declare
seconds int := cast ( extract( SECOND from dt ) as int );
days    int := extract( DAY    from dt );
months  int := extract( MONTH  from dt );
minutes int := extract( MINUTE from dt );
hours   int := extract( HOUR   from dt );
begin
  if ( months = 0 ) then
    if ( days = 0 ) then
      if hours != 0  then
        return hours * interval '1 hour';
      elsif minutes != 0 then
        return minutes * interval '1 minute';
      elsif seconds = 0 then
        return dt;
      else
        return seconds * interval '1 second';
      end if;
    else
      return days * interval '1 day';
    end if;
  else
    return months * interval '1 month';
  end if;
end;
$$ language plpgsql;

 

by: earthman2Posted on 2007-06-03 at 14:41:33ID: 19204989

create or replace function nice_interval_str( in dt interval ) returns text as $$
declare
seconds int := cast ( extract( SECOND from dt ) as int );
days    int := extract( DAY    from dt );
months  int := extract( MONTH  from dt );
years   int := extract( YEAR   from dt );
minutes int := extract( MINUTE from dt );
hours   int := extract( HOUR   from dt );
begin
  if years = 0 then  
    if  months = 0  then
      if  days = 0  then
        if hours != 0  then
          return hours || ' hour'|| case when hours > 1 then 's' else '' end;
        elsif minutes != 0 then
          return minutes || ' minute' || case when minutes > 1 then 's' else '' end;
        elsif seconds = 0 then
          return extract( MILLISECOND from dt ) || ' milliseconds';
        else
          return seconds || ' second' || case when seconds > 1 then 's' else '' end;
        end if;
      else
        return days || ' day' || case when days > 1 then 's' else '' end;
      end if;
    else
      return months || ' month' || case when months > 1 then 's' else '' end;
    end if;
  else
    return years  || ' year'  || case when years  > 1 then 's' else '' end;
  end if;
end;
$$ language plpgsql;

 

by: mpginsburgPosted on 2007-06-04 at 06:41:34ID: 19208391

Thanks earthman 2.  I ended up using AGE() within a CASE statement which is working out well, but I do like you solution so i'll give you the points.  Thanks again

MG

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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