ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)/ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I/UTILITY/SYSTEM/UDATE.ZIP/UDATE.DOC

Text File | 1990-06-07 | 12.7 KB | 330 lines

    Program:  udate
 Programmer:  George Kerber
    Written:  12/17/89 - 05/28/90
   Compiler:  Turbo "C"
Application:  MS-DOS
    Version:  1.21p
    History:  Converted to MS-DOS from the AmigaDOS 'udate' & 'dst' programs.

    Purpose:  Displays the date and/or time in any format, including the
              current timezone.

              Closely emulates the UNIX date command for date string
              formatting.  Supports all of the UNIX format characters and
              adds others.

              Automatically adjusts the clock for daylight savings time.

              Sets the date and time.
              (replacing the MS-DOS 'date' & 'time' command)


SYNTAX: udate [[?][hh:mm|mm/dd/yy][-help][-dst|-DST][["format string"][NOLINE]]]

     udate               Displays the date & time in the default format.
                         (the default is user configurable, see below)
     udate  ?            Displays a help screen.
     udate hh:mm         Sets the computer time.
     udate mm/dd[/yy]    Sets the computer date.
     udate  -help        Displays a help screen for setting the TIMEZONE,
                         ESCAPE & DEFAULT variables.
     udate  -dst|-DST    Automatically adjusts the system clock for daylight
                         savings time.
     udate  ... NOLINE   A newline is not automatically output.


If udate is executed with no options the date and time will be displayed in
the default format.  If the 'timezone' variable is set (see below), then the
current timezone is also displayed.  The default format is:

     ddddd dd-mmm-yy hh:mm tzn

(see below for directions on changing the 'default' date string)


A formatted string can be given as an option to display the date and/or time
exactly as desired.  If any spaces are to be included in the format string,
the entire format string must be quoted.  Literal spaces and characters can
be included in the format string.  See the examples below.
By default the escape character is a backslash (\), but can be changed.  See
below for directions.  The format characters are described below.

     \a  abbreviated weekday name
     \A  full weekday name
     \b  abbreviated month name
     \B  full month name
     \d  day of month - 01 to 31
     \e  day of month -  1 to 31 (with leading space, if < 10)
     \I  hour - 01 to 12
     \i  hour - 1 to 12   (not available in UNIX)
     \H  hour - 00 to 23
     \m  month of year - 01 to 12
     \n  insert a new-line character
     \t  insert a tab character
     \r  time as hh:mm:ss pp (AM/PM)
     \T  time as hh:mm:ss
     \R  time as hh:mm
     \S  second - 00 to 59
     \j  julian day of year
     \J  days remaining in year   (not available in UNIX)
     \y  two digit year
     \Y  four digit year
     \D  date as mm/dd/yy
     \x  day of month extension (th, st, nd or rd)
     \M  minute - 00 to 59
     \p  string, "AM" or "PM"
     \w  day of week - Sunday = 0
     \W  day of week - Sunday = 1   (not available in UNIX)
     \u  date/time display in UNIX default format
         ddd mmm dd hh:mm:ss tzn* yyyy
     \Z  timezone*
     \g  date/time display, greeting format   (not available in UNIX)
     \1  Textcolor lightblue.
     \2  Textcolor lightgreen.
     \3  Textcolor lightcyan.
     \4  Textcolor lightred.
     \5  Textcolor lightmagenta.
     \6  Textcolor yellow.
     \8  Textcolor white (bold)
     \9  Restores text color to the system default.
     \$  displays the date/time in the default format.
         ddddd dd-mmm-yy hh:mm tzn
         This 'default' display IS NOT changed by changing the DEFAULT
         variable as described below.


     \"  Prints a literal quote in the format string.

         Enter the 'escape' character twice with no space to print a
         literal 'escape' character.

      *  Timezone will be displayed if set as described below.  No errors
         are shown if the timezone variable is not set.


Examples:  udate                                           /*  default       */
           Mon 18-Dec-89 09:51 MST

           udate 9:51                                      /*  set the time  */
           Date: December 18, 1989   New Time: 09:51

           udate 12/18                                     /*  set the date  */
           New Date:  December 18, 1989  Time: 09:51

           udate "Today is \A \B \d\x, \Y"
           Today is Monday December 18th, 1989

           udate \g             /*  this is good for your autoexec.bat file  */
           Good Morning!   Today is Monday, December 18th at 9:53 AM (MST)

           udate "\n\o George,\n\n\k\n"                     /*  or this      */

           Good Morning George,

           Today is Monday, December 18th at 9:53 AM (MST)


           udate "Date/Time display in UNIX format\n\u"
           Date/Time display in UNIX format
           Mon Dec 18 09:54:21 MST 1989



SETTING THE DATE & TIME:

If udate is executed with a string that resembles a date or time, then
udate will attempt to change the computer clock to the new date or time.
The system clock will always be changed, but the battery backup clock may
or may not be changed.  See your computer documentation for more
information about the battery backup clock.

Change Time:  udate hh:mm

              The seconds are automatically set to 00 each time the time
              is changed.

Change Date:  udate mm/dd[/yy]

              The year is optional, if no year is entered, then the
              current year will be retained.

NOTE:  The 'udate' program can be used as an 'echo' command if desired.
       Because of how 'udate' determines if the user is trying to
       change the date or time, you can't simply 'echo' a constant date
       or time using udate.  For example, if you enter:

       udate 12/23/89

       udate will change the date to 12/23/89, rather than 'echo' 12/23/89
       to the screen.  You could enter:

       udate  "12/23/89 "

       to actually 'echo' 12/23/89 to the screen.  Notice the extra literal
       space at the end, this 'tricks' udate into thinking that you are
       not entering a valid date.

       Or you could use the MS-DOS 'echo' command to do the same thing, which
       would be slightly quicker since 'echo' is a built-in command.


SETTING THE TIMEZONE VARIABLE:

Add the following line to your autoexec.bat file:   (if desired)

set TIMEZONE=tzn[:dst]

where 'tzn' = the current standard timezone for your area.
(EST, CST, MST, PST, etc)  All three characters must be used.

where 'dst' = the optional timezone for your area when daylight savings time
is in-effect.  (EDT, CDT, MDT, PDT, etc)  If your area does not observe
daylight savings time, then only enter 'tzn' as described above.
If 'dst' is used, you must use all three characters and use an ':' as
a field separator.

Examples:  set TIMEZONE=EST:EDT
           set TIMEZONE=MST:MDT
           set TIMEZONE=PST

The TIMEZONE variable must be set exactly as shown or 'udate' will
completely ignore it.  Setting the TIMEZONE is optional, but the current
timezone will not be displayed if it isn't set.


CHANGING ESCAPE CHARACTER DEFAULT:   (if desired)

By default the 'escape' character for the format string is a backslash (\).
This can be changed by the user to conform to MS-DOS 'standard' or anything
else for user preference.  For example to set the 'escape' character to
a '%' add the following line to your autoexec.bat file:

           set ESCAPE=%

           (a '%' is the standard UNIX escape character for the 'date' command)

Now the format string will require a '%s instead of a '\' when using the
format characters.  This is the line to change the 'escape' character
to a forward slash (or modifier in MS-DOS format):

           set ESCAPE=/

If the ESCAPE variable is set to more than one character, only the first
character will be used.  Changing the default escape character is optional,
and is normally not necessary unless you 'despise' using backslashes for this
purpose.


CHANGING THE DEFAULT DATE STRING:   (if desired)

By default the date and time is presented to the user is:

     ddddd dd-mmm-yy hh:mm tzn

when no options are given.  This can be changed by the user by setting
the 'DEFAULT' variable.  The DEFAULT variable should contain a string
containing text and/or format characters as would be entered as options
to udate to produce the formatted string.  For example, to change the
'default' date/time string to:

     UNIX format date is ddd mmm dd hh:mm:ss tzn* yyyy

add this line to your autoexec.bat file:

     set DEFAULT=UNIX format date is \u

The DEFAULT date string must contain the correct 'escape' character.  The
default 'escape' character is a backslash, but can be changed as described
above.  Changing the 'default' default datestring is optional and should
only be done is you desire a different 'default' date/time string.

The original 'default' date string can always be displayed by using
the '$' format character.


AUTOMATIC DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ADJUSTMENT

udate will automatically keep your clock set for the correct time while
daylight savings time is in effect and while it's not.  There are two
options to use depending on how your PC handles the battery clock.

If the battery clock of your PC is changed by using the MS-DOS date and time
command, then use -DST.  If your PC requires a special command to write the
system clock time to the battery clock then use -dst.  If you use the -DST
command, a file named 'udate.dst' will be written to the root directory of
your c: drive during daylight savings time.  Do not delete this file!

Example:  Add one of these lines to your autoexec.bat file

      udate -dst   --Used if the MS-DOS date/time commands only change the
                     system clock, but leave the battery clock unchanged.
      udate -DST   --Used if the MS-DOS date/time commands change both the
                     system clock and the battery clock.

Set your battery clock to standard time in your area and add one of the
above lines to your autoexec.bat file.  If a command is necessary in the
autoexec.bat file to read the battery clock, the 'udate -dst' line must
follow the readclock command.

The 'udate -dst' command should only be executed once per login session.  The
'udate -DST command (if used) can be executed many times, but there is no
reason to do so.

If setup properly, you will NEVER have to do the twice yearly ritual of
resetting your computer clock for daylight savings time.

If the time ever seems to be screwed up, delete the udate.dst file if it
exists in the root directory of c:, set your clock to standard time and
reboot.  Note that the 'c:\udate.dst' file is "hidden" and cannot
be seen with the MS-DOS dir command.


BUGS

The program can become confused if it is executed twice using one of the
daylight savings time options between 2 and 3 am on the day that daylight
savings time is over.  (late October)  This seems like a minor bug
and shouldn't show up very often since it can only occur if the
computer is booted in the early hours of the morning on the change over
date and then rebooted before the hour is up.


UNIX?

This program includes all of the UNIX date command format characters.
The format string is a little different.  The UNIX date command uses a '%'
as an escape character for the format characters.  I know why the UNIX
command uses the '%' but MS-DOS and AmigaDOS has no need, so I chose to use
a backslash '\' instead.  Also the UNIX date command requires that all
format strings begin with a '+'.  Again I saw no need, so I didn't require
it.  The default date string for 'udate' is different than the UNIX version,
but I added a format character '\u' to display the date in the UNIX default
format.  The 'udate' command follows 'standard' UNIX convention for
options instead of the MS-DOS convention.  If desired, the udate
command can be configured for UNIX or MS-DOS 'standards' as described
above by setting the DEFAULT and ESCAPE variables.


PROGRAM HISTORY

This program is actually a 'hacked' combination of my 'udate' and 'dst'
programs that I wrote in Lattice "C" for the Commodore Amiga computer.


PUBLIC DOMAIN

This program is released to the public domain.  Please feel free to use and
distribute this program.  I do insist that the udate.exe and udate.doc
files are distributed together and that I am kept as the author.
I'm not responsible for any problems with this program or problems that
may be attributed to it.  (I hate responsibility).



                           George Kerber
                           19756 E. Linvale Drive
                           Aurora, CO  80013
                           303-693-2890