How to convert Milliseconds to “X mins, x seconds” in Java?

Question

I want to record the time using System.currentTimeMillis() when a user begins something in my program. When he finishes, I will subtract the current Syste

Answer 1

This is easier in Java 9:

    Duration elapsedTime = Duration.ofMillis(millisDiff );
    String humanReadableElapsedTime = String.format(
            "%d hours, %d mins, %d seconds",
            elapsedTime.toHours(),
            elapsedTime.toMinutesPart(),
            elapsedTime.toSecondsPart());

This produces a string like 0 hours, 39 mins, 9 seconds.

If you want to round to whole seconds before formatting:

    elapsedTime = elapsedTime.plusMillis(500).truncatedTo(ChronoUnit.SECONDS);

To leave out the hours if they are 0:

    long hours = elapsedTime.toHours();
    String humanReadableElapsedTime;
    if (hours == 0) {
        humanReadableElapsedTime = String.format(
                "%d mins, %d seconds",
                elapsedTime.toMinutesPart(),
                elapsedTime.toSecondsPart());

    } else {
        humanReadableElapsedTime = String.format(
                "%d hours, %d mins, %d seconds",
                hours,
                elapsedTime.toMinutesPart(),
                elapsedTime.toSecondsPart());
    }

Now we can have for example 39 mins, 9 seconds.

To print minutes and seconds with leading zero to make them always two digits, just insert 02 into the relevant format specifiers, thus:

    String humanReadableElapsedTime = String.format(
            "%d hours, %02d mins, %02d seconds",
            elapsedTime.toHours(),
            elapsedTime.toMinutesPart(),
            elapsedTime.toSecondsPart());

Now we can have for example 0 hours, 39 mins, 09 seconds.