How to Work with Processes > Working with the Date Processes Group

Process Purpose

The Date/Time Intervals process is used to calculate the number of days between two given dates. The result is stored in a variable.

When you add a process, you are required to define its settings. This occurs in the process's properties window which is displayed automatically after having added the Date/Time Intervals process. In this case, the properties window includes 2 tabs - "General" and "Error".

If any subsequent edition is required, double-click the process to open its properties window and enter the necessary modifications.

"General" tab

Fill in the following options:

Source Values
Date 1	Enter the value for the initial date/time OR click and select a variable with that value. See Variable Definition.
Format Date 1	Select the "Date 1" format from the drop-down OR enter it with the use of a syntax list that is accessed by clicking . See Accepted Syntax List. This format needs to match the format of the date/time value from "Date 1". Ex: For a "Date 1" time presented like this: 09:50:25, use the following format: %H:%M:%S.
Date 2	Enter the value for the second date/time OR click and select a variable with that value.
Format Date 2	Select the "Date 2" format from the drop-down OR enter it with the use of a syntax list that is accessed by clicking . This format needs to match the format of the date/time value from "Date 2". Ex: For a "Date 2" time presented like this: 09:50:25, use the following format: %H:%M:%S.
Result
Result Variable	Click and define the variable that will receive the result value. See To Select/Create a Variable.
Output Format	Select the intended output format from the drop down OR enter your own format which must comply with the available syntax list that is accessed by clicking .

Proceed to the "Error" tab.

"Error" tab

Fill in the available option.

If Error
Go to	Select a target location from the drop-down or list, in case an error occurs. See Detail of a window below.

Detail of a window:

"S:Menu" is a screen included in the same program as the process.

"R:Routine_1" is a routine included in the same program as the process.

If required, use the icon, on the upper right corner of the properties window, to attach any relevant notes to this process.

Click it and enter your notes in the resulting text box. These notes will be displayed in the corresponding "Actions" tab or "Process" window (in the "Notes" field) and in the "Developer Report".

After filling in the required options, click to conclude or to abort the operation.

The added process is displayed in the corresponding "Actions" tab or "Process" window.

Use the right-click in MCL-Designer's input boxes to access some related options as well as the general "Cut", "Copy"; "Paste"; "Search" actions (active/inactive according to the current context).

Ex: If you right-click the "Variable" input box (included in a "Conversion's" properties window), you are provided with general editing/search actions and other more specific options such as "Variable Select" (see "Variable Select") ;"Variable Insert" (see "Variable Insert")"Insert Special Character" (see To Insert Special Characters into a Control's Text Input Field) and "Localization Select" (see Localization List).

If you right-click another input box, it nay provide other possibilities.