Home XP Commands
XP Syntax

TIME

Display or set the system time.

Syntax
      TIME [new_time]
TIME
TIME /T key new_time : The time as HH:MM TIME with no parameters will display the current time and prompt for a new value. Pressing ENTER will keep the same time. /T : Just display the time, formatted according to the current Regional settings.

Time Formatting

In Control Panel, Regional settings a Time Appearance can be set. This can be used to change the separator, and the number of characters used to display hours and minutes.

To display the time including Seconds:

ECHO.| TIME will display the time, including seconds and hundredths of a second

Time Format information in the Registry

The Country Code is a user setting in the registry:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International]
"iCountry"="44"

The Country Code can be read using REG.exe as follows

FOR /F "TOKENS=2,3*" %%A IN ('REG QUERY "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International\iCountry"') DO (FOR %%G in (%%A) DO (SET _country=%%G)) 

The time separator is also a registry setting

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International]
"sTime"=":"

The time separator can be read using REG.exe as follows

FOR /F "TOKENS=2,3*" %%A IN ('REG QUERY "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International\sTime"') DO (FOR %%G in (%%A) DO (SET _time_sep=%%G))

The time formats for different country codes are as follows:

   Country or language   CountryCode  Date format Time format

   United States         001          01/03/1994  5:35:00.00p 
  
   Czechoslovakia        042          03.01.1994 17:35:00 
   France                033          03.01.1994 17:35:00
   Germany               049          03.01.1994 17:35:00
   Latin America         003          03/01/1994  5:35:00.00p 
   International English 061          03/01/1994 17:35:00.00
   Portugal              351          03-01-1994 17:35:00
   Finland               358          3.1.1994   17.35.00
   Switzerland           041          03.01.94   17 35.00
   Norway                047          03.01.94   17:35:00 
   Belgium               032          03/01/94   17:35:00 
   Brazil                055          03/01/94   17:35:00 
   Italy                 039          03/01/94   17.35.00 
   United Kingdom        044          03/01/94   17:35:00.00 
   Denmark               045          03-01-94   17.35.00 
   Netherlands           031          03-01-94   17:35:00 
   Spain                 034          3/01/94    17:35:00 
   Hungary               036          1994.01.03 17:35:00 
   Canadian-French       002          1994-01-03 17:35:00 
   Poland                048          1994-01-03 17:35:00 
   Sweden                046          1994-01-03 17.35.00 

If Command Extensions are disabled TIME will not support the /T switch

"To me when a mother puts food in a microwave for her children, it is an act of hate" - Raymond Blanc

Related Commands:

DATE - Display or change the date
NOW - Display Message with Current Date and Time
TIMESERV - Time Service (resource kit)
W32TIME - Time Service (y2K compliant update for TIMESERV)
Timethis - Time how long it takes the system to run a command. (Win 2K ResKit)
Uptime - Time since last reboot. (Win 2K ResKit)
GetTime.cmd - Script to get current time
GMT.cmd - Current time in GMT (World Time)

Equivalent Linux BASH commands:

date - Display or change the date & time



Back to the Top

Simon Sheppard
SS64.com