How to display datetime value or duration value in Edit Fields (Numeric or String)

I have two timestamps that I will like to display on my app created by App Designer. One is in datetime format and the other in duration. Now, I have tried using both the numeric edit field and the string edit field but I get the same error message.

Error using matlab.ui.control.EditField/set.Value (line 98)

'Value' must be a character vector or a string scalar.

Any ideas? Thanks!

Answer 1

[dpb]

Well, yes, do what the error says -- convert the datetime and/or duration to string representation.

>> dt=datetime(datestr(now));       % create a datetime variable
>> datestr(dt)
dt =
    '28-Jun-2022 09:27:41'
>> 

The format is/can be set by the 'Format' property of the datetime variable as desired.

>> du=timeofday(datetime(datestr(now)));  % for duration
>> string(du)
du = 
    "09:30:52"
>> char(du)
du =
    '09:32:08'
>> cellstr(du)
du =
  1×1 cell array
    {'09:32:19'}
>> datestr(du)
ans =
    ' 9:30 AM'
>> timeofday(datetime(datestr(now)))    
>>

your choice -- NB: datestr on the duration doesn't preserve the leading zero with the default formatting.

Answer 2

[Adi Purwandana]

I think the problem haven't been solved yet. Ive got the same problem. I need to get the difference/duration between two dates (up to hour, minute and seconds, not only day). It seems that app designer accomodates only "date picker" (mm/dd/yyy only, while hour-minute-seconds have been ignored). Anyone know this issue?

[Steven Lord]

Subtract the two datetime arrays.

dt1 = datetime('now')

dt1 = datetime
   27-Feb-2023 12:35:15

dt2 = datetime(2023, 2, 27, 16, 25, 36)

dt2 = datetime
   27-Feb-2023 16:25:36

du = dt2-dt1

du = duration
   03:50:20

Convert the resulting duration to a string.

str = string(du)

str = "03:50:20"

or split it into its component parts.

[h, m, s] = hms(du)

h = 3

m = 50

s = 20.7781

Use str, h, m, and/or s to create the data for your edit box.

[dpb]

@Steven Lord, I think the point @Adi Purwandana is stuck over is there isn't a user control to set time in app designer; how's the user to get the time iftself into the application to start with?

Looks like it's a "roll your own" issue to build...