It is VERY important that you set the TZ variable correctly, as well
     as having your clock and timezone set correctly.  4GL's such as
     Powerhouse and Speedware make use of the TZ variable because they use
     the C clock functions to return the date and time.  This is very
     convenient if you are running multiple timezone locations from one
     machine and want everyone to have the correct time on their report.

     More importantly the FUNCTION CURRENT-DATE in COBOL will use the TZ
     value to give you the correct clock and date value.  You could end up
     with the wrong date if you are close enough to midnight.

     Once you have your clock and timezone correct, you won't have to
     change the TZ variable again, so for me it is always PST8PDT.

     shawn



______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Daylight Savings Time
Author:  [log in to unmask] at Internet-Mail
Date:    4/5/98 1:21 PM


Thus it was written in the epistle of Patrick Santucci,
> Okay, I know about SETCLOCK... But what about the system-wide TZ
> variable?  Ours is currently set to "CST6CDT" -- do we need to change
> that to "CDT5" or leave it alone or what???  And if we do need to change
> it, is there any way to do so other than in a system-wide logon udc (we
> have 5.0 and 5.5 boxes)?

I can't answer for sure, but I'm suspecting that the TZ variable ought to be
left alone.  It looks like the UN*X variable, and UN*X (and I hope the posix
side of MPE) handles the time change automatically.  I intend to limit my
changes to the SETCLOCK I did this morning at least until I find something
broken.

Ted
--
Ted Ashton ([log in to unmask]), Info Serv, Southern Adventist University
          ==========================================================
[The universe] cannot be read until we have learnt the language and become
familiar with the characters in which it is written. It is written in
mathematical language, and the letters are triangles, circles and other
geometrical figures, without which means it is humanly impossible to
comprehend a single word.
                                           -- Galilei, Galileo (1564 - 1642)