Time-date as an integer

[Peter Otten]

Charles Hixson wrote:

> This is a concept, not a finished program, and an extract from a class
> at that...so forgive any illegalities, but:

...but not the funny whitespace.

> import    datetime;
>   def    calcNodeId(self):
>     t    =    datetime.utcnow()
>     val    =    t.year *    133920000000    +          #    12 months
>                     t.month    *    11160000000    +    #    31 days
>                     t.hour    *    3600000000    +         #    60 minutes
>                     t.minute    *    60000000    +         #    60 seconds
>                     t.second    *    1000000    +    t.microsecond
>     if    val <=    self._dTime:
>       val    =    self._dTime + 1
>     self._dTime    =    val
>     return    val
> 
> This is the best that I've been able to come up with in getting a
> date-time as an integer.  It feels like one of the time or date
> libraries should have a better solution, but if so, I haven't found it.
> Can anyone suggest a better approach?

Have you considered a more lightweight approach?

>>> import itertools
>>> class Tree:
...     def __init__(self):
...             self.calcNodeId = itertools.count().next
...
>>> tree = Tree()
>>> tree.calcNodeId()
0
>>> tree.calcNodeId()
1
>>> tree.calcNodeId()
2
>>>

If you need the datetime information, just store the datetime, too.

Peter