getdate(3) - Linux manual page (original) (raw)


getdate(3) Library Functions Manual getdate(3)

NAME top

   getdate, getdate_r - convert a date-plus-time string to broken-
   down time

LIBRARY top

   Standard C library (_libc_, _-lc_)

SYNOPSIS top

   **#include <time.h>**

   **struct tm *getdate(const char ***_string_**);**

   **extern int getdate_err;**

   **int getdate_r(const char *restrict** _string_**, struct tm *restrict** _res_**);**

Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):

   **getdate**():
       _XOPEN_SOURCE >= 500

   **getdate_r**():
       _GNU_SOURCE

DESCRIPTION top

   The function **getdate**() converts a string representation of a date
   and time, contained in the buffer pointed to by _string_, into a
   broken-down time.  The broken-down time is stored in a _tm_
   structure, and a pointer to this structure is returned as the
   function result.  This _tm_ structure is allocated in static
   storage, and consequently it will be overwritten by further calls
   to **getdate**().

   In contrast to [strptime(3)](../man3/strptime.3.html), (which has a _format_ argument),
   **getdate**() uses the formats found in the file whose full pathname
   is given in the environment variable **DATEMSK**.  The first line in
   the file that matches the given input string is used for the
   conversion.

   The matching is done case insensitively.  Superfluous whitespace,
   either in the pattern or in the string to be converted, is
   ignored.

   The conversion specifications that a pattern can contain are those
   given for [strptime(3)](../man3/strptime.3.html).  One more conversion specification is
   specified in POSIX.1-2001:

   **%Z** Timezone name.  This is not implemented in glibc.

   When **%Z** is given, the structure containing the broken-down time is
   initialized with values corresponding to the current time in the
   given timezone.  Otherwise, the structure is initialized to the
   broken-down time corresponding to the current local time (as by a
   call to [localtime(3)](../man3/localtime.3.html)).

   When only the day of the week is given, the day is taken to be the
   first such day on or after today.

   When only the month is given (and no year), the month is taken to
   be the first such month equal to or after the current month.  If
   no day is given, it is the first day of the month.

   When no hour, minute, and second are given, the current hour,
   minute, and second are taken.

   If no date is given, but we know the hour, then that hour is taken
   to be the first such hour equal to or after the current hour.

   **getdate_r**() is a GNU extension that provides a reentrant version
   of **getdate**().  Rather than using a global variable to report
   errors and a static buffer to return the broken down time, it
   returns errors via the function result value, and returns the
   resulting broken-down time in the caller-allocated buffer pointed
   to by the argument _res_.

RETURN VALUE top

   When successful, **getdate**() returns a pointer to a _struct tm_.
   Otherwise, it returns NULL and sets the global variable
   _getdateerr_ to one of the error numbers shown below.  Changes to
   _[errno](../man3/errno.3.html)_ are unspecified.

   On success **getdate_r**() returns 0; on error it returns one of the
   error numbers shown below.

ERRORS top

   The following errors are returned via _getdateerr_ (for **getdate**())
   or as the function result (for **getdate_r**()):

   **1** The **DATEMSK** environment variable is not defined, or its value
       is an empty string.

   **2** The template file specified by **DATEMSK** cannot be opened for
       reading.

   **3** Failed to get file status information.

   **4** The template file is not a regular file.

   **5** An error was encountered while reading the template file.

   **6** Memory allocation failed (not enough memory available).

   **7** There is no line in the file that matches the input.

   **8** Invalid input specification.

ENVIRONMENT top

   **DATEMSK**
          File containing format patterns.

   **TZ**
   **LC_TIME**
          Variables used by [strptime(3)](../man3/strptime.3.html).

ATTRIBUTES top

   For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see
   [attributes(7)](../man7/attributes.7.html).
   ┌─────────────┬───────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┐
   │ **Interface** │ **Attribute** │ **Value** │
   ├─────────────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────────────────┤
   │ **getdate**()   │ Thread safety │ MT-Unsafe race:getdate env       │
   │             │               │ locale                           │
   ├─────────────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────────────────┤
   │ **getdate_r**() │ Thread safety │ MT-Safe env locale               │
   └─────────────┴───────────────┴──────────────────────────────────┘

VERSIONS top

   The POSIX.1 specification for [strptime(3)](../man3/strptime.3.html) contains conversion
   specifications using the **%E** or **%O** modifier, while such
   specifications are not given for **getdate**().  In glibc, **getdate**()
   is implemented using [strptime(3)](../man3/strptime.3.html), so that precisely the same
   conversions are supported by both.

STANDARDS top

   POSIX.1-2008.

HISTORY top

   POSIX.1-2001.

EXAMPLES top

   The program below calls **getdate**() for each of its command-line
   arguments, and for each call displays the values in the fields of
   the returned _tm_ structure.  The following shell session
   demonstrates the operation of the program:

       $ **TFILE=$PWD/tfile**
       $ **echo '%A' > $TFILE** # Full name of the day of the week
       $ **echo '%T' >> $TFILE** # Time (HH:MM:SS)
       $ **echo '%F' >> $TFILE** # ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD)
       $ **date**
       $ **export DATEMSK=$TFILE**
       $ **./a.out Tuesday '2009-12-28' '12:22:33'**
       Sun Sep  7 06:03:36 CEST 2008
       Call 1 ("Tuesday") succeeded:
           tm_sec   = 36
           tm_min   = 3
           tm_hour  = 6
           tm_mday  = 9
           tm_mon   = 8
           tm_year  = 108
           tm_wday  = 2
           tm_yday  = 252
           tm_isdst = 1
       Call 2 ("2009-12-28") succeeded:
           tm_sec   = 36
           tm_min   = 3
           tm_hour  = 6
           tm_mday  = 28
           tm_mon   = 11
           tm_year  = 109
           tm_wday  = 1
           tm_yday  = 361
           tm_isdst = 0
       Call 3 ("12:22:33") succeeded:
           tm_sec   = 33
           tm_min   = 22
           tm_hour  = 12
           tm_mday  = 7
           tm_mon   = 8
           tm_year  = 108
           tm_wday  = 0
           tm_yday  = 250
           tm_isdst = 1

Program source

   #define _GNU_SOURCE
   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <stdlib.h>
   #include <time.h>

   int
   main(int argc, char *argv[])
   {
       struct tm *tmp;

       for (size_t j = 1; j < argc; j++) {
           tmp = getdate(argv[j]);

           if (tmp == NULL) {
               printf("Call %zu failed; getdate_err = %d\n",
                      j, getdate_err);
               continue;
           }

           printf("Call %zu (\"%s\") succeeded:\n", j, argv[j]);
           printf("    tm_sec   = %d\n", tmp->tm_sec);
           printf("    tm_min   = %d\n", tmp->tm_min);
           printf("    tm_hour  = %d\n", tmp->tm_hour);
           printf("    tm_mday  = %d\n", tmp->tm_mday);
           printf("    tm_mon   = %d\n", tmp->tm_mon);
           printf("    tm_year  = %d\n", tmp->tm_year);
           printf("    tm_wday  = %d\n", tmp->tm_wday);
           printf("    tm_yday  = %d\n", tmp->tm_yday);
           printf("    tm_isdst = %d\n", tmp->tm_isdst);
       }

       exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
   }

SEE ALSO top

   [time(2)](../man2/time.2.html), [localtime(3)](../man3/localtime.3.html), [setlocale(3)](../man3/setlocale.3.html), [strftime(3)](../man3/strftime.3.html), [strptime(3)](../man3/strptime.3.html)

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Linux man-pages 6.10 2024-07-23 getdate(3)


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