date / time calculations in SAP ABAP

The arithmetic with the system variable "today" is allowed in terms of either "days" or "hours" or "minutes" or "seconds." So, in your case, the best option would be to calculate the difference in steps (for example, find the difference in year, month, days, and so on...) and find the number to a standard unit of days, before finally multiplying by a factor of "24."

Something like...

Set V[curr_d] "&[today_d]"
Set V[curr_m] "&[today_m]"
Set V[curr_y] "&[today_y]"

if V[curr_d > &[release_d]]
Set V[calc_d] "&[today_d]" - "&[release_d]"
else
Set V[curr_m] "&[curr_m]" - 1
Set V[calc_d] 30 + "&[curr_d]" - "&[release_d]"
endif

if V[curr_m > &[release_m]]
Set V[calc_m] "&[curr_m]" - "&[release_m]"
else
Set V[curr_y] "&[curr_y]" - 1
Set V[calc_m] 12 + "&[curr_m]" - "&[release_m]"
endif

Set V[calc_d] "&[calc_d]" + "&[calc_m]" * 30

Set V[calc_y] "&[curr_y]" - "&[release_y]"

Set V[calc_d] "&[calc_d]" + "&[calc_y]" * 365

.....

And down to the accuracy of the hour...

Please note that my algorithm is not tested...I've written the flow on the fly; pardon for the same, if it requires some tweaking for making it work.

Best Regards,

By: rekha | 01 Aug 2009