time data type
The system time is an exact, 8-byte data type that is stored internally as a signed integer that represents the number of microseconds since midnight.
The system accepts both 24-hour and 12-hour a.m. and p.m. time values. You can specify the format by using the -timeStyle option of the nzload command. The default is the 24-hour format.
The time format consists of five components: the hour, the minute, the second, the fraction of a second, and the AM or PM token. You must specify the hour and minute; the second and fraction of a second are optional. The AM or PM token is required for the 12-hour format and not allowed for the 24-hour format.
You can represent time in the following formats. The delimited formats use the default time delimiter, which is a colon (:).
- 12-hour delimited format: HH:MM:SS.FFF [AM | PM], such as 10:12 PM or 1:02:46.12345 AM.
- 12-hour undelimited format: HHMMSS.FFF [AM | PM], such as 1012 PM or 010246.12345 PM. For this format and the 12-hour delimited format, you can change the default delimiter of a space (' ') between the time and the AM or PM token by specifying the MeridianDelim option. However, no separation (no delimiter) between the time and the AM or PM token is required.
- 24-hour delimited format: HH:MM:SS.FFF, such as 19:15 or 1:15:00.1234.
- 24-hour undelimited format: HHMMSS.FFF, such as 1915 or 10246.12345.
- HH is a one-digit or two-digit hour value of 1 - 12 in the 12-hour notation or 1 - 24 in the 24-hour notation. For the undelimited format, you must specify two digits, such as 01, 02, and so on.
- MM is a one-digit or two-digit minute value of 1 - 60. For the undelimited format, you must specify two digits, such as 01.
- SS is a one-digit or two-digit seconds value of 1 - 60. For the undelimited format, you must specify two digits, such as 01.
- FFF specifies a fraction of a second. If you specify a fractional value, you must precede it with a decimal point. If the value can be stored without loss of precision, it is accepted. If the value cannot be stored without loss of precision, it is rejected. You can use the -timeRoundNanos option of the nzload command to allow rounding when the full precision of any fractional digits cannot be preserved.