time
Synopsis
/ctcp <target> time
Description
Ask another client for its local date and time. This differs from the time command, which queries an IRC server. The answer comes from the remote client's clock and configuration; not every client supports or permits this request, and a reply is not guaranteed.
<target> is normally a nickname. The ctcp command also accepts a channel or * for the current channel, where multiple clients may respond. There are no time-specific options or required arguments. In ordinary use, the request is sent in an IRC privmsg and a supporting client replies in a CTCP notice. Delivery, filtering, and errors depend on the IRC server and destination.
EPIC6 response behavior
The responder is supplied by script/ctcp, loaded by script/builtins, rather than by a C built-in handler. A setup that does not load it needs /load ctcp to install the handler.
The supplied script ignores request arguments and returns $stime($time()): the current client-host time formatted as a local date/time string. It uses the host's local timezone and does not provide an independently verified clock or a separate timezone field. The formatting uses the active locale's %c date/time representation, normally resembling Thu Oct 15 13:00:00 2026.
Replies normally pass through on ctcp_reply and display as CTCP TIME reply from sender: date-and-time unless scripts suppress or customize display. Request hooks or deactivating the registered CTCP can prevent responding. Automatic replies are subject to no_ctcp_flood reply throttling; outgoing requests are not throttled by that setting.
Example
/ctcp john time
Request the date and time from John's client.
Source references
script/ctcp: registration of thetimerequest handler and description.script/builtins: loads the CTCP script.source/functions.c:function_timeandfunction_stimeobtain and format the timestamp.source/ircaux.c:my_ctimeformats local time.source/commands.candsource/ctcp.c: request sending, reply hooks/display, and reply throttling.