Timeserver Protocols

NIST & Daytime Setting String Formats

This section details the format of the string received back from the two major types of timeserver formats, the Daytime protocol and the NIST ACTS.

Daytime Protocol time setting format

Follows Internet time standard RFC-867. It is contacted via TCP/IP on port 13. The time code is sent as ASCII characters. After a setting is made, the time string from the Daytime protocol=compliant timeserver used in the setting is displayed in the time server window. ClockWatch then parses and translates this string. Times transmitted from Daytime timeservers are typically sent in the local time where the server is located.

The time string is made up of a series of English language time and date fields; fields are separated with a single space between them.

Typical Message Format received from a Daytime protocol server, with a sample string below it:

DoW Mth DD HH:MM:SS [TZ] YYYY

Thu Aug 27 12:34:28 1998

DoW Day of the week as a 3 letter abbreviation for the English day of the week (i.e. Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sat)

Mth Month as 3 letter abbreviation of the English month of the year (i.e. Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec)

DD Day of month. Two digit day of the month.

HH:MM:SS The next 8 values give the local time hour, minute and second separated with a colon (:)

TZ Optional 3 or 4 letter abbreviation for the local time zone. (i.e. CDST, CEST). ClockWatch does not use this field. Use the difference in hours field on the server option form to correct for a time server in a different time zone.

YYYY The current year