# Random Timestamp (RandomTimestampGenerator)

The [Random Timestamp](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/generators/generator-reference/random-timestamp) generator generates random dates, times, and timestamps that fall within a specified range.

## Link object structure <a href="#generator-api-random-timestamp-link-object" id="generator-api-random-timestamp-link-object"></a>

The Random Timestamp generator does not support linking or consistency. You cannot configure differential privacy.

The `metadata` object is populated from the [`TimestampRangeMetadata`](https://app.tonic.ai/apidocs/index.html#/models/TimestampRangeMetadata) object, which includes:

* For text columns, the format of the timestamp in the original data.
* For integer columns, the unit to use for the value. The generator produces a Unix timestamp.
* If the timestamp format includes dates, the minimum and maximum timestamps. Uses the format `yyyy-MM-ddTHH:MM:SSZ`.
* If the timestamp format is time-only, the minimum and maximum timestamps. The date part of the timestamp is ignored. Uses the format y`yyy-MM-ddTHH:MM:SSZ`.

```json
{
  "schema": "string",
  "table": "string",
  "column": "string",
  "path": "string",  //JSON fields only
  "dataType": "string",  //MongoDB, Amazon DynamoDB, and JSON fields only
  "metadata": {
    "presetId": "string",
    "generatorId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
    "dateTimeFormat": "enum",  //For text columns
    "unixTimestampFormat": "enum"  // For integer columns
    "minDate": "timestamp",  //For formats with dates
    "maxDate": "timestamp",  //For formats with dates
    "minTime": "timestamp"   //For time-only formats
    "maxTime": "timestamp"   //For time-only formats,
    "encryptionProcessor": "x-on", //To use configured Structural data encryption
    "customValueProcessor": "string"  //If custom value processor is applied
  }
}
```

## Example replacements <a href="#generator-api-random-timestamp-replacement" id="generator-api-random-timestamp-replacement"></a>

In the following example replacement for the Random Timestamp generator, the source column is a text column.

The format for the timestamps in the original data is `yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss`.

The timestamps occur between November 20, 2022 at 8:57:14 PM and November 21, 2022 at 8:57:14 PM.

```json
{
  "name": "start",
  "schema": "public",
  "table": "users",
  "links": [
    {
      "column": "start",
      "table": "users",
      "schema": "public",
      "metadata": {
        "presetId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
        "generatorId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
        "dateTimeFormat": "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss",
        "minDate": "2022-11-20T20:57:14Z",
        "maxDate": "2022-11-21T20:57:14Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}
```

The following example uses the same range as the previous example, but the column is an integer column. The generator is configured to produce Unix timestamps in seconds.

```json
{
  "name": "start",
  "schema": "public",
  "table": "users",
  "links": [
    {
      "column": "start",
      "table": "users",
      "schema": "public",
      "metadata": {
        "presetId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
        "generatorId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
        "unixTimestampFormat": "Seconds",
        "minDate": "2022-11-20T20:57:14Z",
        "maxDate": "2022-11-21T20:57:14Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}
```

The following example generates time-only values between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. The date part of the `minTime` and `maxTime` values is ignored.

```json
{
  "name": "start",
  "schema": "public",
  "table": "users",
  "links": [
    {
      "column": "start",
      "table": "users",
      "schema": "public",
      "metadata": {
        "presetId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
        "generatorId": "RandomTimestampGenerator",
        "dateTimeFormat": "HH:mm:ss",
        "minTime": "2022-11-20T08:00:00Z",
        "maxTime": "2022-11-20T17:00:00Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}
```