using localtime

[Raj]

Hi

I'm very new to C and am trying to get the time a month ago in the format
mmyy.

What I have tried so far is:

char *last_mth;
size_t maxsize = 4;
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(time(0));
strftime(last_mth, maxsize, "%m%y", timeptr);

to get the current mmyy, but I don't know how to access the tm struct so
that I can decrement the month.

I know this is the simplest of things to do, but I haven't found it in the
FAQ. If this is a silly request, please let me know. I'm off to look in
tutorials in case they can tell me there.

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Regards,
--
Raj Kothary :: one|concept
http://www.oneconcept.net
ra*@oneconcept.net
+ 44 (0)79 5647 2746

oneconcept limited :: 17 York Avenue, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 2HT

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[Christian Kandeler]

Raj wrote:

I'm very new to C and am trying to get the time a month ago in the format
mmyy.

What I have tried so far is:

char *last_mth;
size_t maxsize = 4;
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(time(0));
strftime(last_mth, maxsize, "%m%y", timeptr);

to get the current mmyy, but I don't know how to access the tm struct so
that I can decrement the month.

These are the members of struct tm:

int tm_sec; // seconds after the minute -- [0, 60]
int tm_min; // minutes after the hour -- [0, 59]
int tm_hour; // hours since midnight -- [0, 23]
int tm_mday; // day of the month -- [1, 31]
int tm_mon; // months since January -- [0, 11]
int tm_year; // years since 1900
int tm_wday; // days since Sunday -- [0, 6]
int tm_yday; // days since January 1 -- [0, 365]
int tm_isdst; // Daylight Saving Time flag

So to decrease the month value you simply do this:
timeptr->tm_mon -= 1;
The case where tm_mon is already zero is left as an exercise...
Christian

[Eric Sosman]

Raj wrote:

Hi

I'm very new to C and am trying to get the time a month ago in the format
mmyy.

What I have tried so far is:

char *last_mth;
size_t maxsize = 4;
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(time(0));

Why did you ignore the compiler's complaint about
this line? I was going to write you a nice explanation
of what was going wrong and how to fix it -- in fact, I
actually did write it -- but decided it would be wasted
on someone who won't even accept help from his compiler.

Please work on your code at least until the compiler
accepts it without complaint, or until you get a complaint
that you find baffling. Then post a minimal, complete
program demonstrating the problem at hand -- once you've
given evidence of having made an honest try, I for one
will be happy to give help.

--
Eric Sosman
es*****@acm-dot-org.invalid

[tigervamp]

Raj wrote:

Hi

I'm very new to C and am trying to get the time a month ago in the format mmyy.

What I have tried so far is:

char *last_mth;
size_t maxsize = 4;
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(time(0));
strftime(last_mth, maxsize, "%m%y", timeptr);
There are many mistakes with your code. Firstly, you pass an
uninitialized pointer (last_mth) to strftime. Next, maxsize should be
at least 5, strings in C are terminated with a nul character, you need
to leave room for strftime to add this. The time function returns a
value of type time_t, localtime takes a pointer to time_t, you are
passing a time_t to localtime, not a pointer.

Here is a working version (without error checking):

#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>

int main (void) {
char last_month[10];
size_t length = sizeof(last_month)/sizeof(last_month[0]);
time_t mytime = time(NULL);
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(&mytime);

strftime(last_month, length, "%m%y", timeptr);
printf("%s\n", last_month);
return 0;
}
to get the current mmyy, but I don't know how to access the tm struct so that I can decrement the month.
The tm struct contains members tm_mday, tm_mon, and tm_year (among
others) which are integers representing day of month, month of year,
and year respectively, month is zero based. So, to answer your
question, just decrement the tm_mon member of an initialized struct tm:

timeptr->tm_mon--;

Of course you will want to check if the current month is 0 (January)
and if so you probably want to set the month to 11 (December) and
decrement the year. Then you have to decide what to do if the day in
the current month does not exist in the new month, etc.
I know this is the simplest of things to do, but I haven't found it in the FAQ. If this is a silly request, please let me know. I'm off to look in tutorials in case they can tell me there.
You should try taking a look at your library documentation or pick up a
good C book.
Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Regards,
--
Raj Kothary :: one|concept
http://www.oneconcept.net
ra*@oneconcept.net
+ 44 (0)79 5647 2746

Rob Gamble

[Al Bowers]

Raj wrote:

Hi

I'm very new to C and am trying to get the time a month ago in the format
mmyy.

What I have tried so far is:

char *last_mth;
size_t maxsize = 4;
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(time(0));
strftime(last_mth, maxsize, "%m%y", timeptr);

to get the current mmyy, but I don't know how to access the tm struct so
that I can decrement the month.

Function localtime takes a pointer argument. Also, you
need to first check the value returned from function time
to make sure that the value represents time, then use a
pointer to the time_t value should it represent a valid time.
To reduce the month after the function localtime call, use:
timeptr->tm_mon--; or timeptr->tm_mon -= 1;
Then use function mktime to normalize the values in the struct
tm. You can put all this in a function. Example below.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>

char *MinusOneMonth(time_t tvalue)
{
struct tm *t;
static char stime[5];

if(tvalue != (time_t)-1)
{
t = localtime(&tvalue);
t->tm_mon--;
if((tvalue = mktime(t)) != (time_t)-1)
{
int tmp = t->tm_year%100;
sprintf(stime,"%02d%02d",t->tm_mon+1,tmp);
}
}
return tvalue==(time_t)-1?NULL:stime;
}

int main(void)
{
char *s;
struct tm *t;
time_t now = time(NULL);

if((s = MinusOneMonth(now)) != NULL)
{
printf("Now is: %sOne month ago in "
"format(mmyy) is: \"%s\" \n",ctime(&now), s);
puts("\nTest for the month Jan\n");
t = localtime(&now);
t->tm_mon = 0; /* Makes it month January */
now = mktime(t);
if((s = MinusOneMonth(now)) != NULL)
printf("Now is: %sOne month ago "
"in format(mmyy) is: \"%s\"\n",ctime(&now), s);
else puts("Time is not available");
}
else puts("Time is not available");
return 0;
}

--
Al Bowers
Tampa, Fl USA
mailto: xa******@myrapidsys.com (remove the x to send email)
http://www.geocities.com/abowers822/

[tigervamp]

Al Bowers wrote:

Raj wrote:

Hi

I'm very new to C and am trying to get the time a month ago in the format mmyy.

What I have tried so far is:

char *last_mth;
size_t maxsize = 4;
struct tm *timeptr = localtime(time(0));
strftime(last_mth, maxsize, "%m%y", timeptr);

to get the current mmyy, but I don't know how to access the tm struct so that I can decrement the month.

Function localtime takes a pointer argument. Also, you
need to first check the value returned from function time
to make sure that the value represents time, then use a
pointer to the time_t value should it represent a valid time.
To reduce the month after the function localtime call, use:
timeptr->tm_mon--; or timeptr->tm_mon -= 1;
Then use function mktime to normalize the values in the struct
tm. You can put all this in a function. Example below.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>

char *MinusOneMonth(time_t tvalue)
{
struct tm *t;
static char stime[5];

if(tvalue != (time_t)-1)
{
t = localtime(&tvalue);
t->tm_mon--;
if((tvalue = mktime(t)) != (time_t)-1)
{
int tmp = t->tm_year%100;
sprintf(stime,"%02d%02d",t->tm_mon+1,tmp);
}
}
return tvalue==(time_t)-1?NULL:stime;
}

int main(void)
{
char *s;
struct tm *t;
time_t now = time(NULL);

if((s = MinusOneMonth(now)) != NULL)
{
printf("Now is: %sOne month ago in "
"format(mmyy) is: \"%s\" \n",ctime(&now), s);
puts("\nTest for the month Jan\n");
t = localtime(&now);
t->tm_mon = 0; /* Makes it month January */
now = mktime(t);
if((s = MinusOneMonth(now)) != NULL)
printf("Now is: %sOne month ago "
"in format(mmyy) is: \"%s\"\n",ctime(&now), s);
else puts("Time is not available");
}
else puts("Time is not available");
return 0;
}

This will produce incorrect results if the current day of the month
does not exist in the previous month, for example if the current day is
Dec 31, or Mar 30, etc.
--
Al Bowers
Tampa, Fl USA
mailto: xa******@myrapidsys.com (remove the x to send email)
http://www.geocities.com/abowers822/

Rob Gamble