Time difference between SHOW TIME and time shown on email sent items and files viewed through CIFS

[Maddog1]

The current system time is correct, but when the system (Openvms 8.3) sends out a mail, the sent time is two hours ahead.

Also, new files viewed through CIFS (Samba) show the same time difference?

Is there another internal clock other than the one controlled by the SET TIME command?

[Richard Brodie_1]

No, it's most likely a problem with your timezone/daylight saving settings.

What does SHOW LOGICAL *TIMEZONE* say?

[Maddog1]

The logicals are as follows:

"SYS$TIMEZONE_DAYLIGHT_SAVING" = "0"

"SYS$TIMEZONE_DIFFERENTIAL" = "-3600"

"SYS$TIMEZONE_NAME" = "GMT+1"

"SYS$TIMEZONE_RULE" = "GMT1"

[Hoff · Accepted solution]

VMS timekeeping is arcane, and it is quite likely that your TDF setting is incorrect.

VMS unfortunately maintains its time using localtime, and C and related languages then use a timezone differential factor (TDF) to get to UTC time, and then back to its own idea of localtime, and when this sequence has a bad timezone setting or other configuration error, applications written in C and C++ and derivatives will show the system time differently than other OpenVMS applications.  

Invoke the @SYS$MANAGER:UTC$TIME_SETUP.COM procedure and set your timezone.

For information on the current settings, use the @SYS$MANAGER:UTC$TIME_SETUP SHOW command.  I've posted an OpenVMS introduction to the TZ timezone rule format here.  

Depending on your OpenVMS version and your patch level, the time GMT+1 is one hour west of the prime meridian, or is one hour east.  Details are here.  Best to avoid the GMT notation, due to the ambiguity here, and due to how the POSIX timekeeping rules differ from the norms.

Exact details and syntax can vary by VMS version.  Please always remember to include OpenVMS and related product version information when posting.