Defining timestamp fields

Contents > Creating a database > Defining database fields > Defining timestamp fields

Defining timestamp fields

Use timestamp fields to store a date and time together to reference a fixed point in calendar time.

A timestamp field can store date values from January 1, 0001 to December 31, 4000.

Important To avoid confusion when using dates in FileMaker Pro, always use four-digit years. For more information, see Conversion of dates with two-digit years.

To define timestamp fields:

1.	With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.

2.	In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.

3.	If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table list.

4.	For Field Name, type a name for the field.

See About naming fields.

5.	For Type, select Timestamp.

6.	Click Create.

7.	To select options for the field, click Options.

See Setting options for fields.

8.	Continue to define fields or click OK.

Notes

A timestamp field always includes a date and a time of day.

Mathematical operations performed on timestamps are similar to those performed on time fields, and have a resolution of seconds (date fields have a resolution of days). To add one day's worth of time to a timestamp you would add 86400 (60 seconds to a minute * 60 minutes to a hour * 24 hours to a day) to the value in the field.

There are no negative timestamps.

The minimum/maximum values of a timestamp are 1/1/0001 12:00 AM and 12/31/4000 11:59:59.999999 PM.

The separators in time fields and the order in which the time parts appear depend on the system formats set for the file and the display format for the field. To change the display format for a field (for example, 11:09 PM or 23:09), set options in the Time Format dialog box in Layout mode. See Specifying formats for timestamp fields.

When you select Insert menu > Current Time in an active timestamp field, FileMaker Pro inserts the full current date and time.

When you select Insert menu > Current Date in an active timestamp field, FileMaker Pro inserts the current date only.

To specify how data in a timestamp field displays (for example, to specify whether the value shows the day of the week or "AM" and "PM"), see Formatting and setting up field objects in Layout mode.

If you are using FileMaker Pro Advanced, you can copy field schemas from one file and paste them into the same file or some other file. For more information, see Copying and pasting field schemas (FileMaker Pro Advanced).

Related topics

Working with data in date fields

Working with data in time fields

Dates are not as expected

Contents > Creating a database > Defining database fields > Defining timestamp fields