If you want to get the time from a web-based time server, OI is the only platform capable of supporting sockets in this way.

AREV doesn't support sockets from a DOS session, but *could* conceivably call a 32 bit VB application executable which returns the time from a time server and writes it to a file.

Revelation Software have in their possession the OI routines to provide this functionality - if it isn't already a part of the current OI release.

Eric is correct - OI has a function named GetWebTime that will return the date and time that will return the date and time. It exists in 8.07 ( and probably since 7.0 ) but we never documented it.

Thanks for pointing it out Eric. You do good work.

usage:

declare function getwebtime

webdatetime=GetWebtime(server_nr)

webdate=webdatetime

webtime=webdatetime

where server_nr is an optional parameter which is the index of the server to choose from the following list.

"time-a.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov"

"time-b.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov"

"time-c.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov"

"utcnist.colorado.edu"

"nist1.datum.com"

"ntps1-0.uni-erlangen.de"

"ntps1-1.uni-erlangen.de"

"ntps1-2.uni-erla ngen.de"

"ntps1-0.cs.tu-berlin.de"

"time.ien.it"

"ptbtime1.ptb.de"

Also, google the Microsoft NET TIME function. You cam use that to set your machine time from a global time source, then use the Arev TIME functions.

- Bob

Bob,

The time server list might be externalized for the next release - some of those egg timers had all the sand run out.

The existing function I think also works with the server name - go to wikipedia, find a time server, then test the function with

result=getwebtime("my-time-servername.com")

You may also need to open port 37 on the firewall. It's the one that moves the sand across the interweb thingy.

But a helpful bunch of people have decided that finding the time was an abuse of the time servers (huh?) and so have encrypted / passworded / chained / shackled / and MD5 keyed the time.

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.protocols.time.ntp/browse_frm/thread/fc51c6ee6ad66f66

Sorry, your honour, but I was late because the packet Nazis made me.

IF you are using a Novell server, Steve Smith had a utility called SYNCTIME that does this.

I don't know if this is still available however.

Anyone?

Uses the old DOS-style Novell API calls which probably aren't supported any longer.

; SYNCTIME

; By S. Smith 22/04/97. Designed as an AREV subroutine to synchronize

; the workstation and Novell server date & time

;————————————————————————–

CSEG SEGMENT PARA PUBLIC 'CODE'

ASSUME CS:CSEG

ROUTINE PROC FAR

          ORG  0             ; START AT ADDRESS ZERO.

          DB   'ASSM'        ; 4-BYTE FLAG.

          DB   2             ; IDENTIFY AS ASSEMBLY ROUTINE.

NO_ARGS DB 0 ; NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS PASSED.

NO_COMS DW 0 ; NUMBER OF COMMON VARIABLES.

          DW   0             ; UNUSED.

FUNCTION DD 0 ; ADDRESS FOR REV FUNCTION CALLS

;————————————————————————–

start: jmp begin

replybuf db 8 dup (0)

begin: mov dx,cs

	mov	ds,dx

	mov	ah,0E7h			

	mov	dx,offset replybuf	

	mov	si,dx			

	int	21h	;	get file server

			;	date & time

	mov	cx,1900D

	add	cl,byte ptr ds:si	;	year

	mov	dh,byte ptr ds:si+1	;	mth

	mov	dl,byte ptr ds:si+2	;	day

	mov	ah,2Bh			;	set DOS date

	int	21h

	mov	ch,byte ptr ds:si+3	;	hr

	mov	cl,byte ptr ds:si+4	;	min

	mov	dh,byte ptr ds:si+5	;	sec

	mov	dl,0h			;	hundredths

	mov	ah,2Dh			;	set DOS time

	int	21h

	ret                   		; return to AREV

routine	endp

CSEG ENDS

          END



How to catch an error if

webdatetime=GetWebtime(server_nr)

is unable to connect?

The idea is that time servers exist or don't exist. When you connect to a time server that doesn't exist, the routine waits to see if someone will invent the time server. This is a pre-emptive approach. Most socket servers work on a multi-threaded "apartment" model. This program works on a single-threaded "live-in-the-basement" model. Much cheaper. The problem is that so many application developers started opening connections to time servers that the atomic clocks grew tired of emitting the odd particle and shut down all together. You should read more about the problems of connecting to atomic clocks in the following article:

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Polonium_210

Another idea is to check the time between calls to getwebtime() and if it's advanced more than a second, you've connected to a non-existent clock.

start=time()

now=getwebtime(server)

end=time()

if (end-start) ] 1 then

• non existent clock

end else

• existent clock

end

Of course, getting the time zone from the local PC is another problem all together. If everyone moves to Greenwich to use your application you can save a lot of programming time.

Today in unix time format it will be 1234567890 (less than 2 hours from now as of this writing).

If your workstations are part of the Active Directory they should automatically update the time from the domain controller using the W32Time service.

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