How to change timestamp to a float?

[LTiger91]

Hello,

I'm trying to collect information on an MSO64B O-scope: specifically, I need the time step dt, data values, and starting time t0.  In the program I'm using, I'm able to easily get the dt and data values, but the starting time is displayed as a time/date format, as shown below.

I want to change it to be in a simple format of a single number, such as -1.25e-9.

How would I go about changing that?  Is it possible?

For reference, I'm using Labview 2022 Q3 version, and am utilizing the free MSO library, with the data capture VI shown below:

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Kyle97330]

Well, there is a function that converts it, though I'm not sure it will do what you think it will:

https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/glang/to_double_precision_float.html

If you convert "now" into a float in that manner, you get 3.75797E+9, which is a far cry from what you said you were looking for, "such as -1.25e-9".  

It's the number of seconds since January 1, 1904...

[RTSLVU]

Converting a timestamp to  floating point is as simple as this:

 

[LTiger91]

Thanks for the help!

So how do you recommend I change it to the value I'm looking for?  If the start point for the scope is some number of nanoseconds before the data is captured, is there a way to extract that data?

[RTSLVU]

Set the timestamp to Relative Time instead of Absolute Time.

If you can't then use your trigger point or your first sample as T0.

Subtract T0 from all the timestamps to get relative time.