TIME_SECOND(9) | Kernel Developer's Manual | TIME_SECOND(9)

# NAME

`time_second`, `time_uptime`, `boottime` —
system time variables

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <sys/time.h>`

extern time_t time_second;
extern time_t time_uptime;

`#include <sys/kernel.h>`

extern struct timespec boottime;

# DESCRIPTION

The time_second variable is the system's “wall time” clock. It is set at boot by inittodr(9), and is updated periodically via timecounter(9) framework, and also updated by the settimeofday(2) system call.

The time_uptime variable is a monotonically increasing system clock. It is set at boot, and is updated periodically. (It is not updated by settimeofday(2).)

The boottime variable holds the system boot time. It is set at system boot, and is updated when the system time is adjusted with settimeofday(2). The variable may be read and written without special precautions.

All of these variables contain times expressed in seconds (and for boottime, nanoseconds) since midnight (0 hour), January 1, 1970, UTC.

The bintime(9), getbintime(9), microtime(9), getmicrotime(9), nanotime(9), and getnanotime(9) functions can be used to get the current time more accurately and in an atomic manner.

Similarly, the binuptime(9), getbinuptime(9), microuptime(9), getmicrouptime(9), nanouptime(9), and getnanouptime(9) functions can be used to get the time elapsed since boot more accurately and in an atomic manner.

# SEE ALSO

clock_settime(2), ntp_adjtime(2), timespec(3), hardclock(9), hz(9)

October 30, 2018 | NetBSD 9.3