Compare Time

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Compare Time

posted Nov 15, 2016

Hi guys,

I was wondering if someone could show me how to compare the current time to a date time variable. I want to place an order 5 minutes after a trigger.

Thanks for the help!

2 responses

You can get the current backtest time in an algo by using the "get_datetime()" function (see https://www.quantopian.com/help#api-get-datetime in the docs). Create an offset to that time using the "timedelta()" function. Then simply compare the current time to the event time plus the offset time and do whatever.

The code is below and also in the attached notebook. To see it work, run the first cell and last cell immediately after the first and it will print "still waiting". Wait a bit then re-run the last cell only and it will print "5 seconds have elapsed".

Hope that points you in a direction to capture event times and then compare to current times.


from datetime import datetime, timedelta

# Capture the time an event happened by setting variable equal to the current time at that instant  
# In an algo use "get_datetime()" to get the backtest time (not current time) / in research use "datetime()"

event_time = get_datetime()  

# create a time delta 5 seconds from the event time (or whatever delta you wish. the offset can also be in minutes or hours or even days)  
delta_time =  timedelta(seconds = 5) 

# Check to see if current time is greater than event time + offset time  
# Again, in an algo use "get_datetime()" to get the backtest time (not current time) / in research use "datetime()"

if get_datetime()  > event_time + delta_time :  
    print "5 seconds have elapsed"  
else:  
    print "still waiting"

Sorry for the late response but thank you so much! This was very helpful!

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The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation or endorsement for any security or strategy, nor does it constitute an offer to provide investment advisory services by Quantopian.

In addition, the material offers no opinion with respect to the suitability of any security or specific investment. No information contained herein should be regarded as a suggestion to engage in or refrain from any investment-related course of action as none of Quantopian nor any of its affiliates is undertaking to provide investment advice, act as an adviser to any plan or entity subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity, or give advice in a fiduciary capacity with respect to the materials presented herein. If you are an individual retirement or other investor, contact your financial advisor or other fiduciary unrelated to Quantopian about whether any given investment idea, strategy, product or service described herein may be appropriate for your circumstances. All investments involve risk, including loss of principal. Quantopian makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the views expressed in the website. The views are subject to change, and may have become unreliable for various reasons, including changes in market conditions or economic circumstances.