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CURRENT_TIME (SQL)

A date/time function that returns the current local time.

Synopsis

CURRENT_TIME CURRENT_TIME(precision)

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

See Also

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