Hi,
works in ksh:
date -d @$(($(date '+%s')-3600)) '+%Y%m%d %H:%M'
wmp
Main Topics
Browse All TopicsI need a one-line command to add or subtract seconds or hours from a date. I have the pieces but I can't put them together in a one-line command. I have to build this command on the fly in my EDI mapper so I can't write and execute a regular multi-line script from a .sh file. It all has to fit on one line and called in one shot.
Current time = 20081119 14:22
date +%s
1227122553
And then I can calculate a time 1 hour ago
expr 1227122553 - 3600
1227118953
and them put it back together as a date in proper format
date -d @1227118953 '+%Y%m%d %H:%M'
20081119 13:22
Now how do I string this into a one-line command to get the date, add/subtract x amount of seconds and then convert back to date format (ie: 20081119 12:21:14)?
Something like this but this does't work - "date -d @ {expr date+%s - 3600} '+%Y%m%d %H:%M''"
This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.
Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.
If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.
Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.
Access the answers to your technology questions today.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Try it out and discover for yourself.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: TintinPosted on 2008-11-19 at 12:22:44ID: 22998097
If you simply want the time 1 hour ago, you can do
date --date '1 hour ago' +'%Y%m%d %H:%M'