pdd (Python3 Date Diff) is a tiny command line utility to calculate date and time difference. It can also be used as a timer. If no program arguments are specified it shows the current date, time and timezone.

pdd has been written with only one goal - simplicity. Users shouldn't have to memorize anything.

• Features
• Installation
  • Dependencies
  • From a package manager
  • Release packages
  • From source
  • Running standalone
• Usage
  • cmdline options
  • Operational notes
• Examples
• Copyright

• easy to use, minimal dependencies
• calculate date and time difference
• calculate diff from today and now
• add, subtract duration (timeslice) to/from date (time)
• countdown timer with command piggybacking
• custom resolution stopwatch
• non-verbose mode for background timers
• show current date, time and timezone
• follows ISO 8601

pdd requires Python 3.8 (or later) and the dateutil module.

To install dateutil on Ubuntu, run:

$ sudo apt-get install python3-dateutil

or, using pip3:

$ sudo pip3 install python-dateutil

Install pdd from your package manager. If the version available is dated try an alternative installation method.

Packages for Arch Linux, CentOS, Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu are available with the latest stable release.

If you have git installed, clone this repository. Otherwise download the latest latest stable release or development version (risky).

Install to default location (/usr/local):

$ sudo make install

To remove, run:

$ sudo make uninstall

PREFIX is supported, in case you want to install to a different location.

pdd is a standalone utility. From the containing directory, run:

$ chmod +x pdd
$ ./pdd

usage: pdd [-h] [-d yyyy mmm dd [yyyy mmm dd | y m d]]
           [-t hh:mm:ss [hh:mm:ss | h:m:s]] [--add] [--sub]
           [--day yyyy mmm dd] [-c hh:mm:ss] [-r command] [-s [resolution]] [-q] [-v]
           [keywords ...]

Tiny date, time difference calculator with timers.

positional arguments:
  keywords              diff/add/subtract from today or now

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -d yyyy mmm dd [yyyy mmm dd | y m d], --date yyyy mmm dd [yyyy mmm dd | y m d]
                        calculate date difference
  -t hh:mm:ss [hh:mm:ss | h:m:s], --time hh:mm:ss [hh:mm:ss | h:m:s]
                        calculate time difference
  --add                 add to date (/today) or time (/now)
  --sub                 subtract from date (/today) or time (/now)
  --day yyyy mmm dd     show day of the week on a date
  -c hh:mm:ss, --timer hh:mm:ss
                        start a countdown timer
  -r command, --run command
                        run command when countdown timer reaches 0
  -s [resolution], --stopwatch [resolution]
                        start a stopwatch [default resolution: 3 (ms)]
  -q, --quiet           quiet mode for background timer/stopwatch
  -v, --version         show program's version number and exit

Completion scripts are available for Bash, Fish and Zsh shells.

• ISO 8601 format. Month can be specified as month number (e.g. Jan - 1, Dec - 12).
• Time is in 24-hr format.
• The absolute difference is shown. Argument order is ignored.
• The end date is excluded in date difference calculations.
• Hour, minute or second can be omitted. Partial inputs are recognized as mm:ss or ss.
• The keybind to stop timers is Ctrl-C.

1. Calculate diff from today:

   $ pdd 2014 Jan 15
   5y 2m 21d
   1906d
   

2. Calculate diff from now:

   $ pdd 24:00:00
   15:24:03
   55443s
   
   $ pdd 0
   08:36:22
   30982s
   

3. Calculate date diff:

   $ pdd -d 1983 jul 3 2014 1 15
   30y 6m 12d
   11154d
   

4. Calculate time diff:

   $ pdd -t 45:50 6:17:33
   05:31:43
   19903s
   

5. Show current date, time and timezone:

   $ pdd
   Fri 2019 Apr 5 08:37:25 IST
   

6. Specify time with roll-over:

   $ pdd -t 5:80:75 6:17:33
   00:03:42
   222s
   

7. Add a duration (3 years, 2 months, 1 day) to 28 Feb, 2000:

   $ pdd -d 2000 FEB 28 3 2 1 --add
   Tue 2003 Apr 29
   

8. Add a timeslice (1 hour 2 mins 3 secs) to 23:45:37:

   $ pdd -t 23:45:37 1:2:3 --add
   1 day(s) later, 00:47:40
   89260s
   

9. Add a duration (3 years, 2 months, 1 day) to today:

   $ pdd 3 2 1 --add
   Mon 2022 Jun 06
   

10. Add a timeslice (1 hour 2 minutes 3 seconds) to now:

    $ pdd 1:2:3 --add
    09:41:26
    34886s
    

11. Subtract a duration (1 day) from 1 Mar, 2000:

    $ pdd -d 2000 Mar 01 0 0 1 --sub
    Tue 2000 Feb 29
    

12. Subtract a timeslice (1 sec) from midnight:

    $ pdd -t 00:00:00 0:0:1 --sub
    1 day(s) earlier, 23:59:59
    -1s
    

13. Subtract a duration (3 years, 2 months, 1 day) from today:

    $ pdd 3 2 1 --sub
    Thu 2016 Feb 04
    

14. Subtract a timeslice (1 hour 2 minutes 3 seconds) from now:

    $ pdd 1:2:3 --sub
    07:40:02
    27602s
    

15. Show the day of the week on 15 Jan 2014:

    $ pdd --day 2014 Jan 15
    Wed
    

16. Start a countdown timer or stopwatch in quiet mode in the background:

    $ pdd -qs &
    $ pdd -qc 3:0:0 &
    

    To see the final counter run fg and press Ctrl-C.

17. Run a command when countdown timer reaches 0

    $ pdd -c 00:00:5 -r 'ps -aux'
    $ pdd -c 00:00:5 -r 'notify-send pdd "timer expired"'
    

Copyright © 2017 Arun Prakash Jana