Hi!
I had the problem to convert timestamps in milliseconds generated by a
server to an appropriate Stata format. As Stata calculates the date format
in days from 1/1/1960 and the timestamp is calculated in ms from 1/1/1970
some conversions were necessary. This is handled by the following program.
The program uses the function _tod()_ which is contained in the
egenmore-package (type 'ssc install egenmore').
This is the program (convert_ms.ado):
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** PROGRAM TO CONVERT TIMESTAMP IN MILLISECONDS TO ORDINARY DATE FORMAT
*! version 1.0.0 25feb2007
capture program drop convert_ms
program define convert_ms
version 9
syntax varname
* CALCULATE DAYS FROM MILLISECONDS
gen double time_days = (`varlist'/1000/60/60/24)
* GENERATE DATE VARIABLE BY ADDING SPREAD BETWEEN 1/1/1960 (STATA) AND
1/1/1970 (SERVER TIMESTAMP)
gen date = time_days + mdy(1,1,1970)
format date %dN/D/CY
* CALCULATE HOURS, MINUTES, AND SECONDS
gen double temp_seconds = round((mod(time_days,1))*24*60*60)
egen time_seconds = tod(temp_seconds)
* COMBINE DATE AND TIME TO ONE STRING
gen temp_date = string(date, "%dN/D/CY")
egen `varlist'_converted = concat(temp_date time_seconds), punct(" ")
* DROP TEMPORARY VARIABLES AND BRING VARIABLES TO ORDER
drop time_days date temp_seconds time_seconds temp_date
move `varlist'_converted `varlist'
end
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In the do-file where I prepare the data, 'do convert_ms.ado' has to be
called. Afterwards, the function _convert_ms_ can be used (e.g. 'convert_ms
timestamp_variable').
Hope this helps somebody.
Cheers,
Tobias Pfaff
University of Muenster
Germany
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