ALTTIME

The ALTTIME function returns the current time in the specified format or converts a user-specified time from one format to another.

The schema is DSN8.

The ALTTIME function returns the current time in one of the following formats or converts a user-specified time from one of the formats to another:

   H:MM AM/PM           HH:MM AM/PM
   HH:MM:SS AM/PM       HH:MM:SS
   H.MM                 HH.MM
   H.MM.SS              HH.MM.SS
   where:
   H:      Suppress leading zero if the hour is less than 10
   HH:     Retain leading zero if the hour is less than 10
   M:      Suppress leading zero if the minute is less than 10
   MM:     Retain leading zero if the minute is less than 10
   AM/PM:  Return time in 12-hour clock format, else 24-hour

The ALTTIME function demonstrates how you can create an overloaded function—a function name for which there are multiple function instances. Each instance supports a different parameter list enabling you to group related but distinct functions in a single user-defined function. The ALTTIME function has two forms.

Form 1: ALTTIME(output-format)

This form of the function converts the current time into the specified format.

output-format: A character string that matches one of the 8 time formats that are shown above. The character string must have a data type of VARCHAR and an actual length that is not greater than 14 bytes.

The result of the function is VARCHAR(11).

Form 2: ALTTIME(input-time, input-format, output-format)

This form of the function converts a time (input-date) in one user-specified format (input-format) into another format (output-format).

input-time: The argument must be a time or a character string representation of a time in the format specified by input-format. A character string argument must have a data type of VARCHAR and an actual length that is not greater than 11 bytes.
input-format: A character string that matches one of the 8 time formats that are shown above. The character string must have a data type of VARCHAR and an actual length that is not greater than 14 bytes.
output-format: A character string that matches one of the 8 time formats that are shown above. The character string must have a data type of VARCHAR and an actual length that is not greater than 14 bytes.

The result of the function is VARCHAR(11).

The following table shows the external program and specific names for the two forms of the function, which are based on the input to the function.

Table 1. External and specific names for ALTTIME
Conversion type	Input arguments	External name	Specific name
Current time	output-format (VARCHAR)	DSN8DUAT	DSN8.DSN8DUATV
User-specified time	input-time (VARCHAR) input-format (VARCHAR) output-format (VARCHAR)	DSN8DUCT	DSN8.DSN8DUCTVVV
User-specified time	input-time (TIME) input-format (VARCHAR) output-format (VARCHAR)	DSN8DUCT	DSN8.DSN8DUCTTVV

Example 1: Convert the current time into a 12-hour clock format without seconds, 'H.MM AM/PM'.

   VALUES DSN8.ALTTIME( 'H:MM AM/PM' );

Example 2: Convert the current time into a 24-hour clock format without seconds, 'HH.MM'.

   VALUES DSN8.ALTTIME( 'HH.MM' );

Example 3: Convert the current time into a 24-hour clock format with seconds, 'HH.MM.SS'.

   VALUES DSN8.ALTTIME( 'HH.MM.SS' );

Example 4: Convert '00:00:00', a time in 24-hour clock format with seconds, to a time in 12-hour clock format without seconds.

   VALUES DSN8.ALTTIME( '00:00:00','HH:MM:SS','HH:MM AM/PM' );

The function returns '12:00 AM'.

Example 5: Convert '00:00:00', a time in 24-hour clock format with seconds, to a time in 12-hour clock format without seconds and without any leading zero on the hour.

   VALUES DSN8.ALTTIME( '06.42.37','HH.MM.SS','H:MM AM/PM' );

The function returns '6:42 AM'.