In order to have a time picker that doesn’t also save the actually date and still allows you to do calculations with the time saved in the D.B. after a user chooses the time it is important to set up your D.B. with a Data Type of Time Selectors.
This Data Type should have several Data Fields:
- Interval - this is a number; having this saved is useful for allowing a user to select a particular interval period for their time selection choices; ie: 10 minutes or 20 minutes (I have mine displayed in repeating group like a nice square)
- Hour Integer - this is a number; useful for doing calculations with the time
- Hour Text - This is a text; useful for displaying the time correctly (when using a number you are not able to save to the D.B. as a 00 nor can you display 00
- Minute Integer - this is a number; useful for doing calculations with the time
- Minute Text - this is a text; useful for displaying the time correctly (when using a number you are not able to save to the D.B. as a 00 nor can you display 00
- Total Minutes - this is a number; useful for doing calculations with the time
- Sort Order - this is a number; useful for displaying times in correct order ( BE SURE TO SAVE sort order for each interval type
Having my D.B. setup with this Data Type has allowed me to have complete control over the way in which time is displayed, manipulated and used to place conditionals on other time components that are dependent on the value of another time.
Also be sure to make use of custom states on the page or groups to help make getting the data into the database easily after manipulating it.
I set up a page in my app to allow me to enter the data manually. I suppose somebody could just upload an excel file with all the information already. I used input elements and a R.G. plus a button to get all the information into my database. You can set it up so the total minutes is calculated for you.
