Java Duration minusMillis() Method

The minusMillis() method in Java, part of the java.time.Duration class, is used to subtract a specified number of milliseconds from a Duration instance. This method is useful for calculating durations that are a specified number of milliseconds less than the original duration.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. minusMillis() Method Syntax
3. Understanding minusMillis()
4. Examples
   • Basic Usage
   • Handling Negative and Large Millisecond Values
5. Real-World Use Case
6. Conclusion

Introduction

The minusMillis() method allows you to subtract a specified number of milliseconds from an existing Duration instance. This is particularly useful when you need to adjust a duration by a specific number of milliseconds, such as calculating the remaining duration after subtracting milliseconds.

minusMillis() Method Syntax

The syntax for the minusMillis() method is as follows:

public Duration minusMillis(long millisToSubtract)

Parameters:

• millisToSubtract: The number of milliseconds to subtract, may be negative.

Returns:

• A Duration that is the result of subtracting the specified number of milliseconds from the original duration.

Throws:

• This method does not throw any exceptions.

Understanding minusMillis()

The minusMillis() method creates a new Duration instance by subtracting the specified number of milliseconds from the original duration. The result is a new Duration object representing the adjusted time span.

Examples

Basic Usage

To demonstrate the basic usage of minusMillis(), we will subtract a specified number of milliseconds from an existing Duration instance.

Example

import java.time.Duration;

public class DurationMinusMillisExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Duration originalDuration = Duration.ofSeconds(10);
        Duration subtractedDuration = originalDuration.minusMillis(5000);

        System.out.println("Original duration: " + originalDuration);
        System.out.println("Subtracted duration: " + subtractedDuration);
    }
}

Output:

Original duration: PT10S
Subtracted duration: PT5S

Handling Negative and Large Millisecond Values

This example shows how to use minusMillis() to handle negative and large millisecond values.

Example

import java.time.Duration;

public class NegativeAndLargeMillisExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Duration duration = Duration.ofSeconds(10);

        // Subtract a negative number of milliseconds
        Duration negativeResult = duration.minusMillis(-2000);
        System.out.println("After subtracting -2000 milliseconds: " + negativeResult);

        // Subtract a large number of milliseconds
        Duration largeResult = duration.minusMillis(15000);
        System.out.println("After subtracting 15000 milliseconds: " + largeResult);
    }
}

Output:

After subtracting -2000 milliseconds: PT12S
After subtracting 15000 milliseconds: PT-5S

Real-World Use Case

Adjusting Time Intervals

In real-world applications, the minusMillis() method can be used to adjust time intervals, such as reducing the estimated time for a task by a certain number of milliseconds when part of the task has already been completed.

Example

import java.time.Duration;

public class TimeIntervalAdjustmentExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Duration estimatedDuration = Duration.ofMillis(20000);
        long millisSpent = 5000;

        // Adjust the estimated duration by subtracting the milliseconds spent
        Duration remainingDuration = estimatedDuration.minusMillis(millisSpent);

        System.out.println("Estimated duration: " + estimatedDuration);
        System.out.println("Milliseconds spent: " + millisSpent);
        System.out.println("Remaining duration: " + remainingDuration);
    }
}

Output:

Estimated duration: PT20S
Milliseconds spent: 5000
Remaining duration: PT15S

Conclusion

The Duration.minusMillis() method is used to subtract a specified number of milliseconds from a Duration instance. This method is particularly useful for adjusting durations by a specific number of milliseconds. By understanding and using this method, you can effectively manage and manipulate time-based data in your Java applications.