[rrd-users] "duration" instead of abs time on x-axis

[Alex van den Bogaerdt]

On Sat, Apr 28, 2007 at 01:05:21PM +0530, Nirnimesh wrote:
> Is it possible to plot 'duration since start' on the x-axis instead of the
> absolute time? i.e. I want my x-axis to start from 0.
> 
> I used --start "19700101 00:00" as advised
> here<http://groups.google.com/group/mailing.unix.rrd-users/browse_thread/thread/a8ac3600aad72294/06d3a9537b3a7085?lnk=gst&q=absolute+time&rnum=5#06d3a9537b3a7085>but
> I get:
> ERROR: start time: did you really mean month 19700101?

This is quite old...

A lot has happened since then.  Time parsing has been changed a lot and
several bugs seem to exist

e.g.:
ERROR: start time: invalid year 1970 (should be either 00-99 or >1900)

In addition, after "parsetime.c" finally accepted "01/01/70", some
other routine (in rrd_create.c) insisted that:
"ERROR: the first entry to the RRD should be after 1980"


> Any clues please?

Some suggestions; combine as needed.

* Change the code so that it does what you want.

* Do not use rrdtool to draw pictures, just like you do not use a screw
  driver to drive nails

* Try using %H (for hours) or %M (for minutes) since midnight if the
  time span is short


Probably not the answer you're looking for, but I think this currently
is the best there is.  If there is a smart way to do what you want, I'm
sure someone else will suggest it here.

cheers
-- 
Alex van den Bogaerdt
http://www.vandenbogaerdt.nl/rrdtool/