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Re: How do i store "TIME DURATION" (what datatype should i use?)

From: spencer <spencerp_at_swbell.net>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 21:15:10 -0500
Message-ID: <OhEr5.112$nR.97820@nnrp2.sbc.net>

just to add my opinion here... "Total Recorded Time" should be defined as a single column, and hold a number of seconds. you may want to add a single check constraint to ensure that the value is between zero and some reasonable upper bound. if you are not going to allow fractional seconds, i recommend defining the column as NUMBER(38,0) (aka INTEGER)

"Alexandros Kotsiras, NYC" <alexandros_k_at_prodigy.net> wrote in message news:39ACC42C.318B8EC6_at_prodigy.net...
> Hello,
> I am building a database of Video Tapes.
> Each tape (a record of the TAPE table) should have an attribute that
> describes the "Total Recorded Time" of the tape
> for example 1 Hour 25 minutes and 35 seconds. (This is not the capacity
> of the Tape which can be 180 minutes etc)
> Also that is the format that the user will enter the recorded time of a
> tape through the interface , for example 3
> text boxes for Hours, Minutes , Seconds.
> I am wondering what is the best way to store this information.
>
> I was thinking of using 3 NUMBER fields in the Tape table (3 Attributes
> called HOURS , MINUTES, SECONDS)
> Is that approach right ?
> Then i can easily order by HOURS, MINUTES, SECONDS in my sql statement.
> Also i can easily enforce CHECK constraints as "check MINUTES between 0
> and 59)
>
> I think that the DATE datatype is not appropriate since there is no date
> concept (total number of seconds from the epoch) and then the order by
> clause on a DATE datatype will not make sense when i decide to order
> the tapes according to the Total Recorder Time.
>
> I would like to verify that my approach is right or I would like to hear
> a better one.
>
> Thanks,
> Alex.
>
>
>
Received on Thu Aug 31 2000 - 21:15:10 CDT

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