A date/time function that returns the current local time.
Description
CURRENT_TIME returns the current local time for this timezone.
It adjusts for local time variants, such as Daylight Saving Time.
CURRENT_TIME takes either no arguments
or a precision argument. Empty argument parentheses are not permitted.
CURRENT_TIME in Logical mode returns the
current local time in $HOROLOG format;
for example, 37065. CURRENT_TIME in Display mode
returns the current local time in the default format for the locale;
for example, 10:18:27.
To change the default time format, use the SET OPTION command with the TIME_FORMAT
and TIME_PRECISION options. You can configure fractional seconds of
precision, as described below.
To return just the current time, use CURRENT_TIME or CURTIME. These functions return
their values in TIME data type. The CURRENT_TIMESTAMP, GETDATE and NOW functions can also be used
to return the current date and time as a TIMESTAMP data type.
Note that all InterSystems SQL time and date functions except GETUTCDATE are specific to the local
time zone setting. To get a current timestamp that is universal (independent
of time zone) you can use GETUTCDATE or the ObjectScript $ZTIMESTAMP special variable.
These data types perform differently when using embedded SQL.
The TIME data type stores values as integers in $HOROLOG format (as the number of seconds
since midnight); when displayed in SQL they are converted to time
display format; when returned from embedded SQL they are returned
as integers. A TIMESTAMP data type stores and displays its value in
the same format. You can use the CAST or CONVERT function to change
the datatype of times and dates.
CURRENT_TIME can be used as a default specification
keyword in CREATE TABLE or ALTER TABLE. CURRENT_TIME cannot specify a precision argument when used
as a default specification keyword.
Fractional Seconds Precision
CURRENT_TIME can return up to nine digits
of fractional seconds of precision. The default for the number of
digits of precision can be configured using the following:
-
SET OPTION with
the TIME_PRECISION option.
-
The system-wide $SYSTEM.SQL.Util.SetOption()Opens in a new tab method configuration option DefaultTimePrecision. To determine the current setting,
call $SYSTEM.SQL.CurrentSettings()Opens in a new tab which displays Default time precision; the default is 0.
-
Go to the Management Portal, select System Administration, Configuration, SQL and Object Settings, SQL. View and edit the current setting of Default time precision
for GETDATE(), CURRENT_TIME, and CURRENT_TIMESTAMP.
Specify an integer 0 through 9 (inclusive) for the default number
of decimal digits of precision to return. The default is 0. The actual
precision returned is platform dependent; digits of precision in excess
of the precision available on your system are returned as zeroes.
Examples
The following example returns the current system time:
SELECT CURRENT_TIME
The following example returns the current system time with three
digits of fractional seconds precision:
SELECT CURRENT_TIME(3)
The following Embedded SQL example returns the current time.
Because this time is stored in $HOROLOG format, it is returned as
an integer:
&sql(SELECT CURRENT_TIME INTO :a)
IF SQLCODE'=0 {
WRITE !,"Error code ",SQLCODE }
ELSE {
WRITE !,"Current time is: ",a }
The following example sets the LastCall field in the selected
row of the Contacts table to the current system time:
UPDATE Contacts SET LastCall = CURRENT_TIME
WHERE Contacts.ItemNumber=:item
