[comp.sys.att] Daylight Savings Time and my 3b2

msc_wers@jhunix.UUCP (04/06/87)

Help!
My computer (an AT&T 3b2)
doesn't know that we've changed the weekend
for the Standard/Daylight time. How can I convince it
we are now in EDT and not EST?

I'd appreciate e-mail responses.

-Ed Scheinerman
 (msc_wers@jhunix)

mwh@jhunix.UUCP (04/06/87)

In article <4646@jhunix.UUCP> msc_wers@jhunix.UUCP (Edward R Scheinerman) writes:

>My computer (an AT&T 3b2)
>doesn't know that we've changed the weekend
>for the Standard/Daylight time. How can I convince it
>we are now in EDT and not EST?
>

Since this applies to all vanilla System V implementations, I'll respond
here.

SysV sets timezone by looking at the TZ environment variable. The format
of the variable is 

<3letter timezone name><hours from Greenwich><3 letter timezone name>

The first timezone stands for "standard" time, the second for
"daylight savings" time. So the normal commands in /etc/profile to
set TZ should be

TZ=EST5EDT
export TZ

The operating system only knows about 1 time format - seconds from
1969 in the GMT zone. Various library routines (see ctime(3)), NOT 
the kernel, adjust the zone by the value of TZ to give you the
corrected time (e.g., the output of the date command). These routines
assume that from the last weekend in April to the last in October
each year that the time should be adjusted, and the second timezone
in the TZ variable be used as a label.

Unfortunately, the feds changed this recently, creating a slight problem
with wiring in DST changes. To get around this, one must set TZ
to the following now

TZ=EDT4
export TZ

and change it back to normal on the last weekend in April, as follows

TZ=EST5EDT
export TZ

These commands should be put in /etc/profile, or something that is
sourced from that script, such as /etc/TIMEZONE.

mwh

mjb@hoosier.UUCP (04/07/87)

In article <4647@jhunix.UUCP> mwh@jhunix.UUCP (Michael Hrybyk) writes:
>to the following now
>
>TZ=EDT4
>export TZ
>
>and change it back to normal on the last weekend in April, as follows
>
>These commands should be put in /etc/profile, or something that is
>sourced from that script, such as /etc/TIMEZONE.
>
>mwh

Actually, you don't have to change it back until october, as long as it is
before the daylight rules end.  Also, on our HP-UX systems, which are
derived from SYS V, the files /etc/{rc, profile, csh.login, inittab} all
have explicit refs to the TZ var.  What a pain!

mjb.

---------------
Disclaimer?  Why?  What's wrong wid DAT claimer?

mjb%hoosier@cs.utah.edu

peter@citcom.UUCP (04/07/87)

In article <4647@jhunix.UUCP>, mwh@jhunix.UUCP (Michael Hrybyk) writes:
> One must set TZ to the following now
> TZ=EDT4
> and change it back to normal on the last weekend in April, as follows
> These commands should be put in /etc/profile, or something that is
> sourced from that script, such as /etc/TIMEZONE.

Thanks for the help; this worked out real well for me.  We did not 
have the option of changing GMT locally.  Let me add that on our
SCO Xenix, you have to edit /etc/default/login in addition to
/etc/rc, /etc/profile, /etc/login and all users login scripts.
-- 
Peter Klosky, Citcom Systems (materiel de telecommunications)
seismo!vrdxhq!baskin!citcom!peter

guy@gorodish.UUCP (04/08/87)

>Also, on our HP-UX systems,

I believe that some HP-UX systems, at least, handle DST correctly -
they load the rules from a file - so you can fix it that way.

>which are derived from SYS V, the files /etc/{rc, profile, csh.login,
>inittab} all have explicit refs to the TZ var.

The "/etc/TIMEZONE" file is a relatively recent addition to S5; it
wasn't in the VAX version of S5R2, which is what a lot of
S5R2-derived systems were based on.

galen@pdp.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Douglas Wade Needham) (04/13/87)

Even better yet, let's write our congressmen and tell them what we think of
their ideas concerning time changes.

-- douglas wade needham
#include <disclamer.h>

I personally think DST is a communist plot to confuse the free world 8) 8)
(I don't like it at all!!! - a disgruntled Amatuer Astronomer...)

-- 
----S----N----A----R----K----S----&----B----O----O----J----U----M----S----
Douglas Wade Needham     (614)593-1567 (work) or (614)597-5969 (Home)
Electrical Engineering Dept., Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 
UUCP: ...!cbatt!oucs!galen ** Smart Mailers: galen@pdp.cs.OHIOU.EDU

authorplaceholder@gorgo.UUCP.UUCP (04/16/87)

Some wrote:
>I personally think DST is a communist plot to confuse the free world 

This could be true, but...

Getting back to the actual topic at hand.... System V release 3.1 includes
a set of patches that *fix* the timezone problem for the 3B2 computers. If your
machine is on maintenance, you may be able to obtain this patch free for other
releases (2.0, 2.0.X, 2.1, 3.0) by calling 1-800-922-0354 with your machine
serial number in hand. If your machine is not on maintenance, you can upgrade
to release 3.1 or make the support service a one-time-charge (which might be
as expensive as the upgrade). If all else fails write to me or call me and
I will pursue a solution for you further myself.


  Hope that this helps.
   Steve Blasingame (AT&T Oklahoma City) 405-948-5560
   bsteve@gorgo.att.com
   ihnp4!gorgo!bsteve