# Timestamp problem

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [January 31, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771 "2013-01-31T16:52:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![2Gi\_Technologie](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/2gi_technologie/32/3307_2.png) [@2Gi\_Technologie](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/2Gi_Technologie)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771/1 "2013-01-31T16:52:16Z")

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Hi all,

We have an OPC Server wich is connected 1 time per day to donwload datas with timestamp from the source site.  
We would like to use the ‘‘Database Driving Provider’’, but in the sqlt\_core table we don’t have the timestamp from the data origin.

Attached file : a screenshot of the 2 parts.

Thanks and best regards

 ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/2X/5/54757717ef0fb610ce2fba2562188e3ca86cb17f.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Colby.Clegg](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/colby.clegg/32/3282_2.png) [@Colby.Clegg](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Colby.Clegg)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771/2 "2013-01-31T23:14:47Z")

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Hi,

It depends on how many tags there are and how you want to use them, of course, but if you can use tag history instead, you can set the timestamp source to “data”, which will use the OPC timestamp. Of course, you’ll have to decode it from the unix time format that it’s stored it, but that is easy enough.

Another option would be to use a transaction group with the tag, and then a copy of the tag which references the “timestamp” property. That tag would be a “date” type, and will store the OPC timestamp for the value.

Unfortunately the “valuechange” column can’t be the opc time, because in the external tag provider system it’s used to detect changes, but we could probably add another column, which is “data time”. I believe this has actually been requested a few times…

Regards,

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**Author:** ![2Gi\_Technologie](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/2gi_technologie/32/3307_2.png) [@2Gi\_Technologie](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/2Gi_Technologie)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771/3 "2013-02-01T17:39:05Z")

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Hi, and many thanks for your very quick answer.

Using the transaction group is an interesting way but we have too many datas to use.

We will try to work with the tag history.

Obviously, the best way for us should be the specific column you’re talking about in your third point.  
Do you know if this add is planned to be in an update and in that case if it will be implemented soon?

Thanks and best regards.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![2Gi\_Technologie](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/2gi_technologie/32/3307_2.png) [@2Gi\_Technologie](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/2Gi_Technologie)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 11:11am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771/4 "2013-05-15T11:11:04Z")

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hy,  
In your last post, you suggested adding a timestamp column, in 7.6 it’s possible?  
thanks

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**Author:** ![dave.fogle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@dave.fogle](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dave.fogle)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/timestamp-problem/5771/5 "2013-06-06T15:58:45Z")

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This has not yet been added to 7.6. It will likely make it into the 7.6.3 release.