Selecting a Time Range

[acidbox]

I have am storing records in a mysql database with a date associated with them. The problem is that I built the date myself with a BIGINT(14) field instead of using a date or unix time stamp field. I used the exact timestamp format in my date, ie: 20021014234523

The problem I am having is trying to select a date range. Because I did not store my dates as a real date format, I cannot use the time range functions that mysql has to offer.

What I need, so to figure out how to convert this timestamp format into a seconds format so that I can subtract one from the other to find a date range. Then, I need to be able to convert the seconds back to dates in order to display them.

Does anyone know how to do this?

[Weedpacket]

You can't alter the database to use a MySQL timestamp field?

[acidbox]

the reason i did not use timestamp is because I did not want the date to update EVERY time the record was updated. Only when specified.

[Weedpacket]

You mean it does? I don't use MySQL, so I'm not that familiar with all its date/time types, but it seems like something of a funny idea.