--- title: "make_timestamp_ns" slug: "dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp-ns" updated: 2026-10-30T18:19:01Z published: 2026-10-30T18:19:01Z canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp-ns" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vastdata.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # make_timestamp_ns *Applies to VAST Cluster 5.5.* *[Functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-index) › [Date and time functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time) › Building values.* Builds a nanosecond timestamp (`TIMESTAMP_NS`) from a number of nanoseconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00. ## Syntax ``` make_timestamp_ns(nanoseconds) ``` | Argument | Type | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | `nanoseconds` | `BIGINT` | The number of nanoseconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00. Negative numbers count back. | **Returns:** `TIMESTAMP_NS`. ## Set up the examples The examples connect with the ADBC driver, as in [VAST Query Engine (ADBC)](/develop/docs/dev-database-integrations-adbc), and work in a schema called `docs_sql_fn_date_time_make_timestamp_ns`. Set `QE_ENDPOINT`, `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` and `VASTDB_BUCKET` ([SQL reference](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-index#example-connect-and-use-a-transaction)), and run the blocks in order in one Python session. Below each block is the output you should see. Python's `datetime` holds only microseconds, so your client can't convert a `TIMESTAMP_NS` value that has nanoseconds. The examples read such values as text (`CAST(... AS VARCHAR)`) or as numbers ([epoch_ns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-epoch-ns)), never directly. This block connects, defines the `run()` and `plan()` helpers, and creates a table of five ticks, each with a time in nanoseconds since 1970-01-01 (`ns`). Row 4 has no values, and row 5 is the last nanosecond of 1969: ``` import os import re import adbc_driver_manager import adbc_driver_manager.dbapi as dbapi import adbc_driver_vastdb BUCKET = os.environ["VASTDB_BUCKET"] SCHEMA = f'"{BUCKET}/docs_sql_fn_date_time_make_timestamp_ns"' conn = dbapi.connect( driver=adbc_driver_vastdb.get_driver_path(), db_kwargs={ "vast.db.endpoint": os.environ["QE_ENDPOINT"], "vast.db.access_key": os.environ["AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"], "vast.db.secret_key": os.environ["AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"], }, autocommit=True, ) def server_message(e): """The server's message in a driver error, without the request ID or the echoed statement.""" text = re.sub(r"\[req=0x[0-9a-f]+\]: ", "", str(e)) found = (re.search(r'message: "(.*?)", request_id', text, re.S) or re.search(r"description: (.*)\)", text, re.S)) message = found.group(1) if found else text.strip().splitlines()[-1] message = re.sub(r"^Plan query: '.*?' failed with: ", "", message, flags=re.S) message = re.split(r"\\n|\n", message)[0].replace('\\"', '"') return message.replace(BUCKET, "") def run(sql): """Run one statement. Print the rows it returns, or the error.""" try: with conn.cursor() as cur: cur.execute(sql) rows = cur.fetchall() if cur.description else [] except (adbc_driver_manager.Error, OSError) as e: print(f"{type(e).__name__}: {server_message(e)}") else: print(rows) def plan(sql): """Print the plan without its ~N Rows lines: the table's row count, which can still be 0 just after an insert.""" with conn.cursor() as cur: cur.execute("EXPLAIN " + sql) steps = cur.fetchall()[0][1] print("\n".join(line for line in steps.splitlines() if "Rows" not in line)) TABLE = f"{SCHEMA}.ticks" run(f"CREATE SCHEMA IF NOT EXISTS {SCHEMA}") run(f"CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS {TABLE} (id BIGINT, ns BIGINT)") run(f"INSERT INTO {TABLE} VALUES " "(1, 1772353845123456789), " "(2, 1772353845123456000), " "(3, 0), " "(4, NULL), " "(5, -1)") ``` ``` [] [] [(5,)] ``` ## What it does `make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456789)` is 2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456789, a `TIMESTAMP_NS`: every nanosecond is kept. `make_timestamp_ns(0)` is 1970-01-01 00:00:00, and `make_timestamp_ns(-1)` is 1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999. It's the reverse of [epoch_ns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-epoch-ns): `epoch_ns(make_timestamp_ns(n))` is `n`. [nanosecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-nanosecond) reads the seconds of the minute in nanoseconds: `45123456789` for the value above. As text, a value whose nanoseconds are a whole number of microseconds prints with six digits or fewer: `make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456000)` is `'2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456'`. Your client can read such a value directly, as a Python `datetime`. ## NULLs and edge cases | Input | Result | | --- | --- | | `NULL` | `NULL` | | `0` | `'1970-01-01 00:00:00'` | | `-1` | `'1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999'` | | `9223372036854775807` | Error: `Timestamp microseconds out of range: 9223372036854775807` | | `1.5` (a decimal) | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types 'make_timestamp_ns(DECIMAL(2,1))'` | | `'abc'` | Error: `Could not convert string 'abc' to INT64` | | `DATE '2026-01-01'` | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types 'make_timestamp_ns(DATE)'` | | Six parts, as for [make_timestamp](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp) | Error: `No function matches the given name and argument types`: there's only the nanoseconds form | The same cases, as the cluster returns them, with the values from [What it does](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp-ns#what-it-does). They use the helpers from [Set up the examples](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp-ns#set-up-the-examples): ``` run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456789) AS VARCHAR), typeof(make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456789)), " "epoch_ns(make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456789)), nanosecond(make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456789))") run("SELECT make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456000), CAST(make_timestamp_ns(1772353845123456000) AS VARCHAR)") run("SELECT make_timestamp_ns(NULL), CAST(make_timestamp_ns(0) AS VARCHAR), CAST(make_timestamp_ns(-1) AS VARCHAR)") run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(9223372036854775807) AS VARCHAR)") run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(1.5) AS VARCHAR)") run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns('abc') AS VARCHAR)") run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(DATE '2026-01-01') AS VARCHAR)") run("SELECT make_timestamp_ns(2026, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0)") ``` ``` [('2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456789', 'TIMESTAMP_NS', 1772353845123456789, 45123456789)] [(datetime.datetime(2026, 3, 1, 8, 30, 45, 123456), '2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456')] [(None, '1970-01-01 00:00:00', '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999')] OSError: Timestamp microseconds out of range: 9223372036854775807 InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'make_timestamp_ns(DECIMAL(2,1))'. You might need to add explicit type casts. OSError: Could not convert string 'abc' to INT64 InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'make_timestamp_ns(DATE)'. You might need to add explicit type casts. InternalError: Binder Error: No function matches the given name and argument types 'make_timestamp_ns(INTEGER_LITERAL, INTEGER_LITERAL, INTEGER_LITERAL, INTEGER_LITERAL, INTEGER_LITERAL, INTEGER_LITERAL)'. You might need to add explicit type casts. ``` ## Examples Each tick as a nanosecond timestamp, read as text, and its nanoseconds read back with `epoch_ns`: ``` run(f"SELECT id, CAST(make_timestamp_ns(ns) AS VARCHAR), epoch_ns(make_timestamp_ns(ns)) FROM {TABLE} ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` [(1, '2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456789', 1772353845123456789), (2, '2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456', 1772353845123456000), (3, '1970-01-01 00:00:00', 0), (4, None, None), (5, '1969-12-31 23:59:59.999999999', -1)] ``` Keep the ticks that have a time: ``` run(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE make_timestamp_ns(ns) IS NOT NULL ORDER BY id LIMIT 10") ``` ``` [(1,), (2,), (3,), (5,)] ``` ## How it runs in VAST The Query Engine runs on the cluster's CNodes, and a query on a table starts with a scan in VAST DataBase (`VAST_SCAN`). VAST DataBase can evaluate a comparison of a column with a constant, but not a function of a column, so `make_timestamp_ns()` on a column is always computed by the Query Engine: - **In the `SELECT` list,** the scan reads the column and the Query Engine builds the timestamp for each row it returns. - **In `WHERE`,** the scan sends the column for every row, and a `FILTER` step in the Query Engine builds the timestamp and keeps the rows that match. No rows are skipped in storage. The plan of the `WHERE` example shows the `FILTER` step above the scan: ``` plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE make_timestamp_ns(ns) IS NOT NULL") ``` ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ PROJECTION │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ #1 │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ FILTER │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ (make_timestamp_ns(ns) IS │ │ NOT NULL) │ │ │ └─────────────┬─────────────┘ ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐ │ VAST_SCAN │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ Function: VAST_SCAN │ │ │ │ Projections: │ │ ns │ │ id │ │ │ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` ## Make it faster - **Compare the nanoseconds as numbers.** If the table holds nanoseconds since 1970 in a `BIGINT` column, filter with `ns > 1772300000000000000` rather than on `make_timestamp_ns(ns)`: a comparison of the column with a number is pushed down to VAST DataBase, so rows that don't match never leave storage. Its plan has no `FILTER` step: ``` plan(f"SELECT id FROM {TABLE} WHERE ns > 1772300000000000000") ``` ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ VAST_SCAN │ │ ──────────────────── │ │ Function: VAST_SCAN │ │ Projections: id │ │ │ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` - **Build the timestamp in the `SELECT` list,** where it doesn't stop a filter from being pushed down. ## Limitations and errors - **Your client can't read nanoseconds directly.** A `TIMESTAMP_NS` value with nanoseconds can't be converted to a Python `datetime`. Cast it to `VARCHAR`, or read the number with [epoch_ns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-epoch-ns). - **Text with zero microseconds.** When a value's microsecond digits are all zero but its nanoseconds aren't, such as 2026-02-28 23:15:00.000000789, `CAST(... AS VARCHAR)` puts NUL characters (`\x00`) in place of the six zero digits. Read such values with `epoch_ns()` instead. - **The largest and smallest `BIGINT` values fail** with `Timestamp microseconds out of range` (the message says microseconds, though the argument is in nanoseconds). - **No parts form.** To build a nanosecond timestamp from its parts, build the nanoseconds: `epoch_ns(make_timestamp(...)) + n`. ``` run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(1772320500000000789) AS VARCHAR), epoch_ns(make_timestamp_ns(1772320500000000789))") run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(epoch_ns(make_timestamp(2026, 3, 1, 8, 30, 45.123456)) + 789) AS VARCHAR)") ``` ``` [('2026-02-28 23:15:00.\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00789', 1772320500000000789)] [('2026-03-01 08:30:45.123456789',)] ``` ## Similar functions | Function | Takes | Returns | Keeps nanoseconds | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `make_timestamp_ns(n)` | Nanoseconds since 1970 | `TIMESTAMP_NS` | Yes | | [make_timestamp](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp)`(n)` | Microseconds since 1970 | `TIMESTAMP` | No | | [to_timestamp](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-to-timestamp)`(n)` | Seconds since 1970, as a `DOUBLE` | `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE` | No | | [epoch_ns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-epoch-ns)`(ts)` | A timestamp | Nanoseconds since 1970, as a `BIGINT` | (the reverse) | ``` run("SELECT CAST(make_timestamp_ns(1735566330123456789) AS VARCHAR), make_timestamp(1735566330123456), " "CAST(to_timestamp(1735566330.123456) AS TIMESTAMP)") ``` ``` [('2024-12-30 13:45:30.123456789', datetime.datetime(2024, 12, 30, 13, 45, 30, 123456), datetime.datetime(2024, 12, 30, 13, 45, 30, 123456))] ``` Clean up: ``` run(f"DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {TABLE}") run(f"DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS {SCHEMA}") conn.close() ``` ``` [] [] ``` ## See also - [make_timestamp](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-make-timestamp): build a microsecond timestamp from parts or from microseconds. - [nanosecond](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-nanosecond) and [epoch_ns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time-epoch-ns): read the nanoseconds of a timestamp. - [Date and time functions](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-functions-date-time): all the date and time functions. - [Where filters run](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-sql-select#where-filters-run) and [pushdowns](/develop/docs/dev-database-reference-pushdowns).