write a c program for printing time date using Pre-define Macros
C Program: Print Date and Time using Pre-defined Macros
Introduction
Welcome to our tutorial on how to print the current time and date using pre-defined macros in the C programming language.
Objective
The goal of this tutorial is to demonstrate how to utilize pre-defined macros in C to efficiently retrieve and display the current time and date.
Prerequisites
- Basic understanding of C programming language.
- A C compiler installed on your system.
Step 1: Including Necessary Libraries
#include <stdio.h>
We include the header file for standard input and output functions and for time-related functions.
Step 2: Writing the Main Function
int main() {
// Code goes here
return 0;
}
We start by defining the main function, which is the entry point of our program.
Step 3: Defining Variables
time_t rawtime;
struct tm *info;
char buffer[80];
- time_t rawtime;: A variable to hold the raw time data.
- struct tm *info;: A pointer to a structure (tm) that holds time information.
- char buffer[80];: A character array to store the formatted time and date.
Step 4: Getting Current Time
time(&rawtime);
info = localtime(&rawtime);
- time(&rawtime);: Retrieves the current time and stores it in the rawtime variable.
- localtime(&rawtime);: Converts the raw time to a structure (tm) representing the local time.
Step 5: Formatting and Printing
strftime(buffer, 80, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", info);
printf("Current date and time: %s\n", buffer);
- strftime(buffer, 80, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", info);: Formats the time and date and stores it in the buffer variable.
- printf("Current date and time: %s\n", buffer);: Prints the formatted time and date.
Example 01: Full source code
#include
#include
int main() {
time_t rawtime;
struct tm *info;
char buffer[80];
time(&rawtime);
info = localtime(&rawtime);
strftime(buffer, 80, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", info);
printf("Current date and time: %s\n", buffer);
return 0;
}
Step 6: Running the Program
-
Save the file with a .c extension (e.g., datetime.c) and compile it using your preferred C compiler.
-
Execute the program to see the current date and time printed on the screen.
Example 02: Full source code
#include
#include
int main() {
// Declare a structure to hold time information
struct tm *local;
time_t t;
// Get the current time
t = time(NULL);
local = localtime(&t);
// Print the date and time
printf("Current Date and Time: %s\n", asctime(local));
return 0;
}
Example 03:Writing a C Program to Print Time and Date Using Predefined Macros
#include
void main()
{
printf("%s\n",__FILE__);
printf("%d\n",__LINE__);
printf("%s\n",__DATE__);
printf("%s\n",__TIME__);
}
Output:
5
Feb 27 2022
23:52:20
Conclusion
This program demonstrates a simple way to access and print the current date and time using pre-defined macros provided by the C Standard Library. Understanding how to utilize macros and system time functions is an essential skill for any C programmer.
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write a c program for printing time date using Pre-define Macros
Further Reading:
Note: If you encounter any issues or specific errors when running this program, please let me know and I'll be happy to help debug them!