Re: ssts0200 format, system date and time

On 29 Jul 2013 11:50, rob@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

At offset 8, for 8 characters of format SSTS0200 of the Retrieve
System Status (QWCRSSTS) API, is "Current date and time. The date
and time when the status was gathered. This is in system timestamp
format."
So, how do I figure out the current date and time of this?

EVAL &ssts0200 :x

00000 000000A4 000000A4 985A6343 F997A000 - ...u...uq!Ää9pµ.
00010 C7C4C9E2 E8E24040 F0F0F0F0 F0F1F0.. - GDISYS 0000010.
I assume I should be looking at:
985A6343 F997A000

The "system timestamp" is the internal form called the *DTS format; an 8-byte binary representation. I believe I have noted in the past that few API docs, for the APIs that use them, provide a link to a good description of the "system time-stamp" /field/ and for how to convert the value to an external form; i.e. the _send feedback_ may be an appropriate action, but probably best to suggest they add a note to all APIs that have return a DTS value.

http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/apis/qwccvtdt.htm
_i Convert Date and Time Format (QWCCVTDT) API i_
"...
The Convert Date and Time Format (QWCCVTDT) API converts date and time values from one format to another format. The QWCCVTDT API lets you:

* Convert a time-stamp (*DTS, for system time-stamp) value to character format
* ...
..."