A method to group time ranges into time-by-day percentages. Usefull for analysis of time ranges.

gistfile1.rb

##
# Having two times, group the time by dates in percentages.
# Time and analysis will be done in the timezone the time is passed with.
# Result for time range D1-D5:
# D1      |-----D2------------D3------------D4------|     D5
#          16.67%    32.34%        32.34%     16.67%
def date_range_group(start_time, end_time)
  return nil unless start_time
  return nil unless end_time > start_time
  total = end_time - start_time
  pct = 100/total
  dates = {}
  start_of_day = nil
  start_of_next_day = nil
  begin
    if not start_of_day
      start_of_day = start_time
    else
      start_of_day = start_of_next_day
    end
    start_of_next_day = start_of_day.change(:hour=>23).change(:min=>59).change(:sec=>59)+1
    if(start_of_next_day > end_time)
      start_of_next_day = end_time
    end
    time_in_day = start_of_next_day - start_of_day
    dates[start_of_day.to_i] = {:date => time_in_day, :pct => (time_in_day*pct)}
  end while start_of_next_day < end_time
  # Here we have our distribution
  dates
end

# Example
t1 = Time.now - (3.5 * 86400)
t2 = Time.now
print date_range_group(t1, t2)