Convert TIMEDIFF Output to Day-Hour-Minute-Second Format in MySQL

To understand the MySQL convert timediff output to day, hour, minute, and second format, you need to use CONCAT() from MySQL.

Let us create a table. The query to create a table is as follows:

mysql> create table convertTimeDifferenceDemo
   -> (
   -> Id int NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
   -> StartDate datetime,
   -> EndDate datetime,
   -> PRIMARY KEY(Id)
   -> );
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.68 sec)

Insert some records in the table using insert command. The query to insert record is as follows:

mysql> insert into convertTimeDifferenceDemo(StartDate,EndDate) values(date_add(now(),interval -3 hour),date_add(now(),interval 3 hour));
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.41 sec)
mysql> insert into convertTimeDifferenceDemo(StartDate,EndDate) values(date_add(now(),interval -2 hour),date_add(now(),interval 2 hour));
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.27 sec)
mysql> insert into convertTimeDifferenceDemo(StartDate,EndDate) values('2018-04-05 12:30:35','2018-05-17 14:30:50');
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.14 sec)
mysql> insert into convertTimeDifferenceDemo(StartDate,EndDate) values('2017-10-11 11:20:30','2017-12-17 15:21:55');
Query OK, 1 row affected (0.20 sec)

Display all records from the table using select statement. The query is as follows:

mysql> select *from convertTimeDifferenceDemo;

The following is the output:

+----+---------------------+---------------------+
| Id | StartDate           | EndDate             |
+----+---------------------+---------------------+
|  1 | 2019-01-28 20:55:33 | 2019-01-29 02:55:33 |
|  2 | 2019-01-28 21:57:42 | 2019-01-29 01:57:42 |
|  3 | 2018-04-05 12:30:35 | 2018-05-17 14:30:50 |
|  4 | 2017-10-11 11:20:30 | 2017-12-17 15:21:55 |
+----+---------------------+---------------------+
4 rows in set (0.00 sec)

Here is the query to get timediff output to day, hour, minute, and second format:

mysql> SELECT CONCAT(
   -> FLOOR(HOUR(TIMEDIFF(StartDate,EndDate)) / 24), ' DAYS ',
   -> MOD(HOUR(TIMEDIFF(StartDate,EndDate)), 24), ' HOURS ',
   -> MINUTE(TIMEDIFF(StartDate,EndDate)), ' MINUTES ') AS DESCRIPTION
   -> FROM convertTimeDifferenceDemo;

The following is the output:

+------------------------------+
| DESCRIPTION                  |
+------------------------------+
| 0 DAYS 6 HOURS 0 MINUTES     |
| 0 DAYS 4 HOURS 0 MINUTES     |
| 34 DAYS 22 HOURS 59 MINUTES  |
| 34 DAYS 22 HOURS 59 MINUTES  |
+------------------------------+
4 rows in set, 6 warnings (0.04 sec)