OSF DCE Application Development Guide--Core Components

OSF DCE Application Development Guide—Core Components
A relative time is normally used as input for commands or system routines.
Figure 19-3 shows the full syntax for a relative time.
Figure 19-3. Full Syntax for a Relative Time
DD −hh:mm:ss.fffIss.fff
designator
Inaccuracy
Relative date and time
component
Inaccuracy
component
seconds
fractions
Days
hours
minutes
seconds
fractions
The following example shows a relative time of 21 days, 8 hours, and 30 minutes, 25
seconds with an inaccuracy of 0.300 seconds:
21-08:30:25.000I00.300
The following example shows a negative relative time of 20.2 seconds with an
unspecified inaccuracy (default):
-20.2
The following example shows a relative time of 10 minutes, 15.1 seconds with an
inaccuracy of 4 seconds:
10:15.1I4
Notice that a relative time does not use the calendar date fields, since these fields
concern absolute time. A positive relative time is unsigned; a negative relative time is
preceded by a - (minus) sign. A relative time is often subtracted from or added to
another relative or absolute time. Relative times that DTS uses internally are opaque
binary timestamps. The DTS API offers several routines that can be used to calculate
new times by use of relative binary timestamps.
19.1.2.1 Representing Periods of Time
A given duration of a period of time can be represented by a data element of variable
length that uses the syntax shown in Figure 19-4.
19 − 4 Tandem Computers Incorporated 124245