TZSET(3P)

PROLOG
This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual. The Linux implementation of this interface may differ (consult the corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may not be implemented on Linux.

NAME
daylight, timezone, tzname, tzset — set timezone conversion information

SYNOPSIS

#include <time.h>

extern int daylight;
extern long timezone;
extern char *tzname[2];
void tzset(void);

DESCRIPTION
The tzset() function shall use the value of the environment variable TZ to set time conversion information used by ctime(), localtime(), mktime(), and strftime(). If TZ is absent from the environment, implementation-defined default timezone information shall be used.

The tzset() function shall set the external variable tzname as follows:

    tzname[0] = "std";
    tzname[1] = "dst";

where std and dst are as described in the Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2017, Chapter 8, Environment Variables.

The tzset() function also shall set the external variable daylight to 0 if Daylight Savings Time conversions should never be applied for the timezone in use; otherwise, non-zero. The external variable timezone shall be set to the difference, in seconds, between Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and local standard time.

If a thread accesses tzname, daylight, or timezone directly while another thread is in a call to tzset(), or to any function that is required or allowed to set timezone information as if by calling tzset(), the behavior is undefined.

RETURN VALUE
The tzset() function shall not return a value.

ERRORS
No errors are defined.

The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES
Example TZ variables and their timezone differences are given in the table below:
TZ | timezone
EST5EDT | 5*60*60
GMT0 | 0*60*60
JST-9 | -9*60*60
MET-1MEST | -1*60*60
MST7MDT | 7*60*60
PST8PDT | 8*60*60

APPLICATION USAGE
Since the ctime(), localtime(), mktime(), strftime(), and strftime_l() functions are required to set timezone information as if by calling tzset(), there is no need for an explicit tzset() call before using these functions. However, portable applications should call tzset() explicitly before using ctime_r() or localtime_r() because setting timezone information is optional for those functions.

RATIONALE
None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
None.

SEE ALSO
ctime(), localtime(), mktime(), strftime()

The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2017, Chapter 8, Environment Variables, <time.h>

COPYRIGHT
Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std 1003.1-2017, Standard for Information Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 7, 2018 Edition, Copyright (C) 2018 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard is the referee document. The original Standard can be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

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