PDA

View Full Version : Mysql insert random datetime in a given datetime range


Imperial
2015-04-19, 06:14 AM
With SQL , Can I insert random datetime values in a column giving a range? eg. given a range of 2010-04-30 14:53:27 to 2012-04-30 14:53:27

I'm getting confused with the range part. as i will have just done this

INSERT INTO `sometable` VALUES (RND (DATETIME()))

Imlay City
2015-04-19, 06:16 AM
Here is an example that should help:

INSERT INTO `sometable` VALUES(
FROM_UNIXTIME(
UNIX_TIMESTAMP('2010-04-30 14:53:27') + FLOOR(0 + (RAND() * 63072000))
)
)


It uses the date 2010-04-30 14:53:27 as the base, converts that to a Unix timestamp, and adds a random number of seconds from 0 to +2 years to the base date and converts it back to a DATETIME.

It should be pretty close but over longer time periods leap years and other adjustments will throw it off.