The MINUTES_BETWEEN function returns the number of full minutes between the specified arguments.

The schema is SYSIBM.

expression1

An expression that specifies the first datetime value to compute the number of full minutes between two datetime values.
The expression must return a value that is a DATE, TIMESTAMP, CHAR, or VARCHAR data type.
In a Unicode database, the expression can also be a GRAPHIC or VARGRAPHIC data type. If expression1 is a CHAR, VARCHAR, GRAPHIC, or VARGRAPHIC data type, it must be a valid string that is accepted by the TIMESTAMP scalar function.

expression2

An expression that specifies the second datetime value to compute the number of full minutes between two datetime values.
The expression must return a value that is a DATE, TIMESTAMP, CHAR, or VARCHAR data type.
In a Unicode database, the expression can also be a GRAPHIC or VARGRAPHIC data type.
CHAR, VARCHAR, GRAPHIC, and VARGRAPHIC are supported by using implicit casting.
If expression2 is a CHAR, VARCHAR, GRAPHIC, or VARGRAPHIC data type, it must be a valid string that is accepted by the TIMESTAMP scalar function.

If there is less than a full minute between expression1 and expression2, the result is zero.
If expression1 is later than expression2, the result is positive.
If expression1 is earlier than expression2, the result is negative.
If expression1 or expression2 contains time information, this information is also used to determine the number of full minutes.
If expression1 or expression2 does not contain time information, a time of midnight (00.00.00) is used for the argument that is missing time information.

The result of the function is a BIGINT.
If either argument can be null, the resultcan be null. If either argument is null, the result is the null value.

Examples

1. Set the host variable NUM_MINUTES to the number of full minutes between 2012-03-01-01.00.00 and 2012-02-28-00.00.00.

      SET :NUM_MINUTES = MINUTES_BETWEEN(TIMESTAMP '2012-03-01-01.07.00', 
                                         TIMESTAMP '2012-02-28-00.00.00')

   The host variable NUM_MINUTES is set to 2940; 1440 of those minutes are incurred due to February 29, 2012.
2. Set the host variable NUM_MINUTES to the number of full minutes between 2013-09-11-23.59.59 and 2013-09-01-00.00.00.

      SET :NUM_MINUTES = MINUTES_BETWEEN(TIMESTAMP '2013-09-11-23.59.59', 
                                         TIMESTAMP '2013-09-01-00.00.00')

   The host variable NUM_MINUTES is set to 15839 because there is 1 second less than a full 15840 minutes between the arguments.
   It is positive because the first argument is later than the second argument.
3. Set the host variable NUM_MINUTES to the number of full minutes between 2013-09-01-00.00.00 and 2013-09-11-23.59.59.

      SET :NUM_MINUTES = MINUTES_BETWEEN(TIMESTAMP '2013-09-01-00.00.00', 
                                         TIMESTAMP '2013-09-11-23.59.59')

   The host variable NUM_MINUTES is set to -15839 because there is 1 second less than a full 15840 minutes between the arguments.
   It is negative because the first argument is earlier than the second argument.