This document summarizes a webinar about maximizing the value of datetime data. It introduces datetime concepts in FME like formats, transformers, and functions. It demonstrates using transformers together to determine which FME expert is older based on birthdates. Other demonstrations include stamping features with the current datetime and grouping features by time windows. The webinar encourages fully utilizing datetime information and time zones to increase data value. It promotes attending an in-person conference and checking out other webinars.

1. Save the Date for Quality Data
Making Use of DateTime

2. Meet the Presenters
Kailin Opaleychuk Mark Ireland

3. Datetime information
makes your data
incredibly valuable.
Why? Because there are so many
different ways in which dates and
times can be processed and
analyzed and used in reports.
Itʼs time to stop wasting time!

4. But datetimes are complicated.
Perhaps more complicated than you think.
There are multiple datetime structures and datetime
arithmetic or comparisons are hard.
You also have to handle time zones, leap years, daylight
savings time, and the feared international dateline!
It means you might not be aware of the potential of your datetime
data, or you can process it, but only with a lot of manual effort.

5. For example...
● I want to record a date in my database. Can I record date, or time, or both? What
structure and precision can I use? Can I record the timezone? Or can I just use UTC?
● Does it matter where my server is located? Can I tell if its local time is the same as
mine? Is it updated automatically for daylight saving time and how can I tell?
● Can I tell if a date is more than 3 months old? Can I tell if one date is older than
another? Can I find the difference between two times in seconds?
● Can I restructure my datetimes to present them in a human-readable format?
● Can I tell if my date is a workday? Can I tell if itʼs a workday in 10 days time? What is
the definition of “weekend” and which is the first day of the week?

6. Our Mission
To help you maximize the value of
your data.

7. Our Mission
To help you maximize the value of
your data.
and to save you time!

8. The Basics

9. DateTime Interpretation
Reading Writing
FME will convert DateTime data types
to itʼs own internal format
FME will likely convert from the FME
format to the appropriate application
format
However, there are exceptions...
FME DateTime Format: YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
Output Example: 20180111121538

10. Exceptions
Some supported formats require a
specific Date, Time, or DateTime syntax to
be read or written into FME Workbench.
Salesforce
YYYY-MM-DD
YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss+hh:mm
Snowflake
YYYY-MM-DD
DD-MON-YYYY
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS

11. DateTime
Transformers
Dates and times are transformed in FME
using a trio of powerful transformers.
These transformers are:
● DateTimeConverter: Converts a set of
input date/time attributes from one
format to another.
● DateTimeCalculator: Performs
arithmetic operations on dates, times,
and intervals.
● DateTimeStamper: Adds a timestamp
to a feature as a new attribute.

12. Understanding
Format String Flags
Dates, Times, or DateTimes can be
stored in attributes and are
represented by format string flags.
String flags are abbreviated
expressions used to represent various
display and storage formats for
DateTimes.

13. The DateTimeStamper

14. More Powerful Together
When we use these transformers
together, we can - not only get
the current date and time - but
make it human readable as well

15. Advanced Examples

16. DEMO
Tree Inspection

17. Who Is Older?
In this scenario, we use a CSV Reader, and a
combination of DateTime and attribute
transformers, to determine who the older
FME Expert is!

18. Who Is Older?
In this scenario, we use a CSV Reader, and a
combination of DateTime and attribute
transformers, to determine who the older
FME Expert is!

19. Am I a Leap Year?
In this example we leverage the User
Parameter Manager window.
No, you’re a
leap frog!

20. FME Date/Time Functions

21. FME Functions
● FME Feature Functions @Area()
● String Functions @PadLeft()
● Math Functions @sqrt()
● Date/Time Functions @DateTimeNow
● Tools to carry out specific tasks
● Often equivalent to standard transformers
● Can be used inside expressions and other transformer parameters
● Reduce workspace clutter

22. Demonstration
Set a LastUpdated field using multiple
FME functions, to get a timestamp in
the correct format, with a timezone set.

23. The TimeWindower Transformer

24. The TimeWindower Transformer
● Groups together features inside an
FME workspace based on datetime
● Originally designed to help read
real-time data streams
● Can also be used to group features for
time-based processing/reporting
● Requires careful setup of a workspace
to handle the flow of features

25. Demonstration
Update a weather forecast every 15
minutes based on live wind speed data.
Separate parking ticket data into
groups based on 7-day intervals.

26. FME Hub Transformers

27. What is the FME Hub?
● Centrally stored transformers,
formats, and related FME tools
● Used to extend the capabilities of
FME or a specific FME transformer
● Often submitted by users for
everyoneʼs benefit
● Can be used inside workspaces as
required including on FME Server
hub.safe.com

28. Demonstration
Calculate the landing time of an aircraft
in local time, given the local time of
departure and flight time.

29. Increase the value of your data by
utilizing datetime information.

30. Just one more thing...
Coordinate systems and continental drift.
The Earthʼs surface is in constant motion. To record
an object you need to record both where it is, and
when that measurement was taken!

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32. Q&A

33. The Peak of Data Integration 2022 UC
August 24-26, 2022 Vancouver, Canada
Register now

34. Check out our upcoming
& on-demand webinars:
safe.com/webinars

35. Thank you!
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