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

For small times, less than an hour, I prefer:

long millis = ...

System.out.printf("%1$TM:%1$TS", millis);
// or
String str = String.format("%1$TM:%1$TS", millis);

for longer intervalls:

private static final long HOUR = TimeUnit.HOURS.toMillis(1);
...
if (millis < HOUR) {
    System.out.printf("%1$TM:%1$TS%n", millis);
} else {
    System.out.printf("%d:%2$TM:%2$TS%n", millis / HOUR, millis % HOUR);
}

Answer 2

Use java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit, and use this simple method:

private static long timeDiff(Date date, Date date2, TimeUnit unit) {
    long milliDiff=date2.getTime()-date.getTime();
    long unitDiff = unit.convert(milliDiff, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
    return unitDiff; 
}

For example:

SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("yy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss");  
Date firstDate = sdf.parse("06/24/2017 04:30:00");
Date secondDate = sdf.parse("07/24/2017 05:00:15");
Date thirdDate = sdf.parse("06/24/2017 06:00:15");

System.out.println("days difference: "+timeDiff(firstDate,secondDate,TimeUnit.DAYS));
System.out.println("hours difference: "+timeDiff(firstDate,thirdDate,TimeUnit.HOURS));
System.out.println("minutes difference: "+timeDiff(firstDate,thirdDate,TimeUnit.MINUTES));
System.out.println("seconds difference: "+timeDiff(firstDate,thirdDate,TimeUnit.SECONDS));

Answer 3

    long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
    // do your work...
    long endTime=System.currentTimeMillis();
    long diff=endTime-startTime;       
    long hours=TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toHours(diff);
    diff=diff-(hours*60*60*1000);
    long min=TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toMinutes(diff);
    diff=diff-(min*60*1000);
    long seconds=TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toSeconds(diff);
    //hour, min and seconds variables contains the time elapsed on your work

Answer 4

long time = 1536259;

return (new SimpleDateFormat("mm:ss:SSS")).format(new Date(time));

Prints:

25:36:259

Answer 5

Here is an answer based on Brent Nash answer, Hope that helps !

public static String getDurationBreakdown(long millis)
{
    String[] units = {" Days ", " Hours ", " Minutes ", " Seconds "};
    Long[] values = new Long[units.length];
    if(millis < 0)
    {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Duration must be greater than zero!");
    }

    values[0] = TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toDays(millis);
    millis -= TimeUnit.DAYS.toMillis(values[0]);
    values[1] = TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toHours(millis);
    millis -= TimeUnit.HOURS.toMillis(values[1]);
    values[2] = TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toMinutes(millis);
    millis -= TimeUnit.MINUTES.toMillis(values[2]);
    values[3] = TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS.toSeconds(millis);

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(64);
    boolean startPrinting = false;
    for(int i = 0; i < units.length; i++){
        if( !startPrinting && values[i] != 0)
            startPrinting = true;
        if(startPrinting){
            sb.append(values[i]);
            sb.append(units[i]);
        }
    }

    return(sb.toString());
}

Answer 6

Using the java.time package in Java 8:

Instant start = Instant.now();
Thread.sleep(63553);
Instant end = Instant.now();
System.out.println(Duration.between(start, end));

Output is in ISO 8601 Duration format: PT1M3.553S (1 minute and 3.553 seconds).