Using XQuery's `current-dateTime()` Function: Retrieving the Current Date and Time

Learn how to retrieve the current date and time in XQuery using the `current-dateTime()` function. This tutorial explains its functionality, return value (xs:dateTime), and provides examples demonstrating its use in generating timestamps and processing time-related information within XML documents.

Using XQuery's `current-dateTime()` Function

The XQuery `current-dateTime()` function retrieves the current date and time from the system on which the XQuery processor is running. This function is valuable for incorporating time-sensitive information into XML documents or for generating timestamps within your XML data.

Understanding `current-dateTime()`

The `current-dateTime()` function returns the current date and time as an `xs:dateTime` value. The specific format of the returned value might depend on your XQuery processor, but it's usually in a format that's easily usable for further processing or display. The time is typically represented in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) unless otherwise specified.

Example: Retrieving the Current Date and Time

This example demonstrates retrieving and displaying the current date and time using XQuery. (Note: This example requires that you have an XQuery processor such as Saxon HE and the Java Development Kit installed and correctly configured. Screenshots from the original text are not included here. Please refer to the original document for visual verification of the example and its output. The descriptions below aim to convey the information in those screenshots.)

`current-datetime.xqy` (XQuery File)

let $dateTime := current-dateTime()
return {$dateTime}

`XQueryTester.java` (Java Program)

import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileInputStream;
// ... (other imports) ...

public class XQueryTester {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // ... (code to execute the XQuery expression) ...
    }
}

This Java program uses the Saxon library to execute the XQuery expression and print the result to the console. You need to have Saxon HE installed and configured correctly.

Test it Now