set clock_format

Synopsis

/set clock_format [<text>]
/set -clock_format

Default: unset. With no text, set displays the current value. /set -clock_format unsets it and restores selection of the built-in format. The format text can contain spaces.

Description

EPIC uses the system's strftime function to construct its ordinary local clock, available as $Z and through the status bar's %T field. When this setting is unset, the format is %R if clock_24hour is on, or %I:%M%p if it is off.

When set, this string is used as the strftime format and clock_24hour is disregarded. This is a time-format string, not an EPIC status-format string: for example, %H:%M:%S means hours, minutes, and seconds here. Platform strftime support and the active locale determine the available conversions and localized names.

The ordinary clock uses local system time. Metric_time selects a separate clock path that ignores this setting. Changing the format does not change the system timezone, server time, or the format of on timer, which still receives ordinary 24-hour HH:MM values.

Updates and limits

Setting or unsetting the format recalculates the cached clock immediately, even when its regular timer is disabled. It requests status updates when status_clock is nonempty. A recalculation that observes a new hour or minute can also invoke timer and idle.

Regular updates require clock on and a nonzero clock_interval. The default interval is 60 seconds, so including seconds in the format is useful only if you shorten the interval. This path has no CPU-saver interval adjustment. Event-loop delays can still postpone an update.

The clock output buffer is 256 bytes, including its terminating null. EPIC does not validate the format or report strftime failure; keep the result comfortably within that buffer and use conversions supported on your platform. A malformed or oversized format has no guaranteed useful result.

Changing this setting affects future clock text, not existing scrollback, and sends no IRC request.

Example

Show a local 24-hour clock with seconds:

/set metric_time off
/set clock_format %H:%M:%S
/set clock_interval 1
/set clock on

Restore the built-in format and default update interval:

/set -clock_format
/set clock_interval 60

History

This setting first appeared in EPIC4pre1.019.

Source references

• source/clock.c: reset_standard_clock applies strftime; set_clock_format refreshes immediately; the clock system timer controls periodic updates.
• source/status.c and source/functions.c: the status clock and $Z use cached clock text.
• source/vars.c: string registration, unset handling, and refresh callback.
• include/config.h: unset format and 60-second interval defaults.