# String manipulation and format them to timestamp

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/string-manipulation-and-format-them-to-timestamp/79727>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [March 23, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/string-manipulation-and-format-them-to-timestamp/79727 "2017-03-23T10:30:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Juergen\_Kerner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/juergen_kerner/32/13129_2.png) [@Juergen\_Kerner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Juergen_Kerner)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 10:30am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/string-manipulation-and-format-them-to-timestamp/79727/1 "2017-03-23T10:30:08Z")

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Hi guys,

i am new to logstash and i am stuck with following problem:

I have something like a timestamp: 1703220054

First 2 digits indicates year YY 17  
Next 2 digits indicates MM 03  
Next 2 digits indicates dd 22  
Next 2 digits hour hh 00  
Next 2 digits minutes mm 54

I want to bring it to timestamp value for @timestamp.

Do you have any good advice for me?

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**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 10:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/string-manipulation-and-format-them-to-timestamp/79727/2 "2017-03-23T10:48:59Z")

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Use a date filter with a YYMMddhhmm pattern.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Juergen\_Kerner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/juergen_kerner/32/13129_2.png) [@Juergen\_Kerner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Juergen_Kerner)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 11:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/string-manipulation-and-format-them-to-timestamp/79727/3 "2017-03-23T11:05:54Z")

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> [@magnusbaeck](#):
>
> YYMMddhhmm

Ok, its's that easy 😃

Started with substringing, concatenations and formating - too much SQL in my head.

Works like a charm.

Thanks

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 11:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/string-manipulation-and-format-them-to-timestamp/79727/4 "2017-04-20T11:05:53Z")

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Closed on April 20, 2017, 11:05am UTC

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