TimeSpans

The TimeSpan object is a container for a duration of time, referenced to a base epoch system depending on context. TimeSpans objects can be used to specify a time value at nanosecond-level precision. FreeFlyer uses this specialized object type to store time values because it is not possible to store an epoch at nanosecond-level precision in the FreeFlyer Variable object type, due to the limited numerical precision of floating point 64-bit values. A set of one or more time values can be stored in a TimeSpanArray object. Any property, method, or function in FreeFlyer that has a time value as an input or output will use the TimeSpan or TimeSpanArray object types.

Note: FreeFlyer provides two timing precision modes. As of FreeFlyer 7.3, the default timing precision mode is nanosecond precision mode, and the TimeSpan and TimeSpanArray objects are only available in nanosecond precision mode. For older Mission Plans that have not yet been converted from millisecond precision mode, the syntax for working with epochs and calendar date/time strings is different. See the timing precision mode page for more information.

Syntax

This section covers how to declare and work with TimeSpans in FreeFlyer script. The TimeSpan object must be initialized either using static methods or with literal time spans. Either approach also allows you to use TimeSpans in-line in statements such as For and While loops.

TimeSpan Declaration using Static Methods

The syntax examples below show how to initialize a TimeSpan using the static methods on the TimeSpan object type. You can specify the units for the input value (days, hours, minutes, seconds, and/or fractional seconds). TimeSpan objects can also be initialized with a value of zero, an undefined value, or a value parsed from a string.

Undefined TimeSpan values can be used to compare against time values that may be undefined, such as the start time of an Ephemeris object that doesn't contain any vectors.

TimeSpan myTimeSpan;

myTimeSpan = TimeSpan.FromDays(1);

myTimeSpan = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(86400);

myTimeSpan = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(someVariable);

myTimeSpan = TimeSpan.Parse("86400", "s"); // Parse string as seconds

myTimeSpan = TimeSpan.Undefined;

myTimeSpan = TimeSpan.Zero;

Spacecraft sc;

While (sc.ElapsedTime < TimeSpan.FromDays(2));

Step sc;

End;

Literal TimeSpan Declarations

The TIMESPAN keyword is used to declare a literal TimeSpan. The units of the input value must be specified using one of the following keywords: days, hours, minutes, seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, or nanoseconds. Literal TimeSpan declarations must use actual numbers for their values; Variable objects other expressions cannot be used.

TimeSpan myTimeSpan;

myTimeSpan = TIMESPAN(1 days);

myTimeSpan = TIMESPAN(86400.123 seconds);

myTimeSpan = TS(1440 minutes);

myTimeSpan = TS(24 hours);

Spacecraft sc;

While (sc.ElapsedTime < TIMESPAN(2 days));

Step sc;

End;

TimeSpan Operators

The TimeSpan and VirtualTimeSpan objects can be used with the operators shown below. All of these operators are analogous to the mathematical operators available for the Variable object.

Operator	Description	Examples	Result Type
+	Addition	ts1 + ts2	VirtualTimeSpan
-	Subtraction	ts1 - ts2	VirtualTimeSpan
=	Assignment	ts1 = ts2	N/A
+=	Addition Assignment	ts1 += ts2;	N/A
-=	Subtraction Assignment	ts1 -= ts2;	N/A
==	Equals	ts1 == ts2	VirtualVariable (Boolean)
!=	Not Equals	ts1 != ts2	VirtualVariable (Boolean)
<	Less Than	ts1 < ts2	VirtualVariable (Boolean)
<=	Less Than or Equals To	ts1 <= ts2	VirtualVariable (Boolean)
>	Greater Than	ts1 > ts2	VirtualVariable (Boolean)
>=	Greater Than or Equals To	ts1 >= ts2	VirtualVariable (Boolean)
-	Negation	-ts1	VirtualTimeSpan

All of these operators are also available as element-by-element operators for the TimeSpanArray and VirtualTimeSpanArray objects. The TimeSpanArray object also supports the bracket syntax used by Array objects to access a single element of the TimeSpanArray.

TimeSpans

Syntax

TimeSpan Declaration using Static Methods

Literal TimeSpan Declarations

TimeSpan Operators

See Also