NSTimeInterval to HH:mm:ss?

Question

If I have an NSTimeInterval that is set to say 200.0, is there a way to convert that into 00:03:20, I was thinking I could initialise an NSDate with it and then use NSDateFo

Answer 1

On iOS 8, use NSDateComponentsFormatter.

NSDateComponentsFormatter *dateComponentsFormatter = [[NSDateComponentsFormatter alloc] init];
NSLog(@"%@", [dateComponentsFormatter stringFromTimeInterval:200.0]);

outputs "3:20".

NSDateComponentsFormatter *dateComponentsFormatter = [[NSDateComponentsFormatter alloc] init];
dateComponentsFormatter.zeroFormattingBehavior = NSDateComponentsFormatterZeroFormattingBehaviorPad;
dateComponentsFormatter.allowedUnits = (NSCalendarUnitHour | NSCalendarUnitMinute | NSCalendarUnitSecond);
NSLog(@"%@", [dateComponentsFormatter stringFromTimeInterval:200.0]);

outputs "0:03:20".

Answer 2

Swift 3 version of onmyway133's answer:

import Foundation

func format(_ duration: TimeInterval) -> String {
    let formatter = DateComponentsFormatter()
    formatter.zeroFormattingBehavior = .pad
    formatter.allowedUnits = [.minute, .second]

    if duration >= 3600 {
        formatter.allowedUnits.insert(.hour)
    }

    return formatter.string(from: duration)!
}


print(format(12)) // 0:12
print(format(65)) // 1:05
print(format(1750)) // 29:10
print(format(3890)) // 1:04:50
print(format(45720)) // 12:42:00

Answer 3

In Swift 2, iOS 8+. This makes sure we only show hour when necessary

func format(duration: NSTimeInterval) -> String {
  let formatter = NSDateComponentsFormatter()
  formatter.zeroFormattingBehavior = .Pad

  if duration >= 3600 {
    formatter.allowedUnits = [.Hour, .Minute, .Second]
  } else {
    formatter.allowedUnits = [.Minute, .Second]
  }

  return formatter.stringFromTimeInterval(duration) ?? ""
}

So you have

print(format(12)) // 0:12
print(format(65)) // 1:05
print(format(1750)) // 29:10
print(format(3890)) // 1:04:50
print(format(45720)) // 12:42:00

Answer 4

No need to use NSDateFormatter or anything else than division and modulo. NSTimeInterval is just a double containing seconds.

Swift

func stringFromTimeInterval(interval: NSTimeInterval) -> String {
    let interval = Int(interval)
    let seconds = interval % 60
    let minutes = (interval / 60) % 60
    let hours = (interval / 3600)
    return String(format: "%02d:%02d:%02d", hours, minutes, seconds)
}

Objective-C

- (NSString *)stringFromTimeInterval:(NSTimeInterval)interval {
    NSInteger ti = (NSInteger)interval;
    NSInteger seconds = ti % 60;
    NSInteger minutes = (ti / 60) % 60;
    NSInteger hours = (ti / 3600);
    return [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%02ld:%02ld:%02ld", (long)hours, (long)minutes, (long)seconds];
}

Answer 5

Based on answer by @onmyway133 here is the Swift 4 version:

func format(duration: TimeInterval) -> String {
    let formatter = DateComponentsFormatter()
    formatter.zeroFormattingBehavior = .pad

    if duration >= 3600 {
        formatter.allowedUnits = [.hour, .minute, .second];
    } else {
        formatter.allowedUnits = [.minute, .second];
    }

    return formatter.string(from: duration) ?? "";
}

Answer 6

straight from apple docs: in h file:

 @property(strong,nonatomic)NSDateComponentsFormatter *timerFormatter;

in m file

@synthesize timerFormatter;

- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
NSDateComponentsFormatter *timerFormatter = [[NSDateComponentsFormatter alloc] init];
timerFormatter.unitsStyle = NSDateComponentsFormatterUnitsStylePositional; 
//10:59 Positional THIS ONE DOES NOT SEEM TO WORK iOS<9 WHEN <1Minute JUST SHOWS 01, 10m 59s Abbreviated, 10min 59sec Short, 10minutes 59seconds Full ...
timerFormatter.allowedUnits = NSCalendarUnitHour|NSCalendarUnitMinute|NSCalendarUnitSecond;
}

whereever you need to convert your NSTimeInterval timeInterval to hh:mm:ss string, do this:

NSString *txt=[timerFormatter stringFromTimeInterval:timeInterval];