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How to calculate days since 2000 for future dates in Scratch

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TC

TimeCalculator_Dev

Posted on June 16, 2022 • Intermediate

⏰ Need to calculate future “days since 2000” values for countdown

Hey everyone! I’m working on a countdown timer and need to use the days since 2000 block to calculate time remaining. The problem is I need to know what that value will be at a specific future date (like in 2 days at 8pm) to make my countdown work properly.

For example, if I want to countdown to an event happening “in 2 days at 8pm”, I need to know what the days since 2000 value will be at that exact moment. What’s the math behind this calculation?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! 🙏

MM

MathMaster_Sarah

Replied 2 hours later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @TimeCalculator_Dev! Understanding how “days since 2000” works is key to building accurate countdown timers. Let me break this down for you:

📅 Understanding “Days Since 2000”

The days since 2000 block returns the number of days that have passed since January 1, 2000, at midnight UTC. It includes decimal values for partial days (hours and minutes).

flowchart TD A[January 1, 2000<br/>00:00:00 UTC] --> B[Reference Point<br/>Days Since 2000 = 0] B --> C[Current Time] C --> D[Calculate Difference] D --> E[Days Since 2000 Value] F[Target Future Date] --> G[Calculate Target Value] G --> H[Target Days Since 2000] E --> I[Countdown = Target - Current] H --> I style A fill:#e1f5fe style F fill:#fff3e0 style I fill:#e8f5e8

🧮 The Calculation Formula

Here’s how to calculate the “days since 2000” value for any future date:

Formula:
Days Since 2000 = (Target Date - January 1, 2000) / (24 hours)

🛠️ Practical Implementation

Here’s a complete countdown system:

Step 1: Set your target date

    when flag clicked
// Example: Countdown to July 4, 2024 at 8:00 PM
// July 4, 2024 = 8,951 days since 2000 (approximately)
// Add 20/24 for 8 PM = 8,951.833
set [Target Days v] to [8951.833]

// Or calculate it dynamically:
set [Target Days v] to ((days since 2000) + [2.833]) // 2 days + 20 hours

Step 2: Create the countdown display

    when flag clicked
forever
set [Time Left v] to ((Target Days) - (days since 2000))

// Convert to readable format
set [Days Left v] to (round (Time Left))
set [Hours Left v] to (round (((Time Left) - (Days Left)) * [24]))
set [Minutes Left v] to (round (((((Time Left) - (Days Left)) * [24]) - (Hours Left)) * [60]))

// Display the countdown
set [Countdown Display v] to (join (join (join (Days Left) [ days, ]) (join (Hours Left) [ hours, ])) (join (Minutes Left) [ minutes]))

wait [1] seconds
end

📊 Quick Reference Table

Here are some common calculations:

Time AdditionDays to Add
1 hour0.042 (1/24)
12 hours (noon)0.5
20 hours (8 PM)0.833
1 day1.0
1 week7.0

🎯 Advanced Countdown Features

Want to make your countdown even better? Try these additions:

    // Check if countdown is finished
if <(Time Left) < [0]> then
broadcast [Event Started v]
say [The event has begun!] for [3] seconds
end

// Add visual effects for urgency
if <(Time Left) < [1]> then
set [color v] effect to [25] // Red tint
change size by [5]
wait [0.1] seconds
change size by [-5]
end

This approach gives you precise control over your countdown timer! 🎉

TC

TimeCalculator_Dev

Replied 1 hour later

@MathMaster_Sarah This is incredibly helpful! 🎉

The formula and examples make perfect sense now. I implemented the countdown system and it’s working flawlessly. The visual effects for urgency are a nice touch too!

One quick question: Is there a way to account for different time zones, or does Scratch always use UTC?

MM

MathMaster_Sarah

Replied 30 minutes later

@TimeCalculator_Dev Great question about time zones! 🌍

Scratch’s days since 2000 block uses UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). If you need to account for different time zones, you’ll need to add or subtract the appropriate offset:

// For Eastern Time (UTC-5): subtract 5/24 = 0.208
// For Pacific Time (UTC-8): subtract 8/24 = 0.333
// For Central European Time (UTC+1): add 1/24 = 0.042

Just remember to account for daylight saving time if needed! 🕐

CD

CountdownExpert_Mike

Replied 2 hours later

Excellent explanation @MathMaster_Sarah! 👏

For anyone building event countdown timers, here’s a pro tip: create a “countdown manager” sprite that handles all the time calculations, then broadcast the results to your display sprites. This keeps your code organized and makes it easy to have multiple countdowns running simultaneously!

Also consider adding sound effects when the countdown reaches certain milestones (1 day left, 1 hour left, etc.) for better user engagement! 🔊

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

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