JavaScript Date with jQuery Countdown

Question

I'm trying to show a simple countdown from 2 hours like so:

$(function () {

    var timeout = new Date(20000); 

    $('#countdown').countdown({until: timeout, compact: true, format: 'HMS'});
});

However I just get 00:00:00, any ideas why?

Have you read the docs? It says: There are four ways of instantiating a date: var d = new Date(); var d = new Date(milliseconds); var d = new Date(dateString); var d = new Date(year, month, day, hours, minutes, seconds, milliseconds); — Michael
– Michael, Commented Jun 23, 2012 at 13:27
@Michael Yes I have read the docs, but not everyone is a JavaScript expert and understands this as naturally as others! — Cameron
– Cameron, Commented Jun 23, 2012 at 13:28

freakish · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-23 13:24:06Z

4

You get 00:00:00, because new Date(20000); is actually

Thu Jan 01 1970 00:00:20 GMT+0000 (GMT)

like 40 years ago. :D What you need to do is either:

var timeout = new Date(Date.now() + 20000);

or

var timeout = 20000;

By the way: two hours is not 20000, it is

1000 (ms) * 60 (s) * 60 (min) * 2 == 7200000

answered Jun 23, 2012 at 13:24

freakish

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