ftp server displays incorrect timestamp

[John Carver]

I have an HPUX11.23 box that displays the file timestamp incorrectly from a windows ftp client and a hpux ftp client. On the server itself the date command displays the correct date, the timezone appears to be set correctly, ntp is working fine but both ftp clients display the file timestamp exactly 7 hours ahead of the correct time. This appears to be related to the timezone, but how? My other hpux servers display the correct timestamps when the same ftp clients connect to them.

[Tingli]

I don't know the exact cause for this problem. But I guess that there might be something to do the permission for the time zone setting which is unreadable to ftp. Thus, it puts the time zone to GMT.

[Steven Schweda]

A Forum search for keywords like
ftp timezone
found many potentially useful things. One
example:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=138820

As usual, a more complete problem description
might help. Are you using anonymous FTP, or
FTP as some particular user(s)? (What
happens when you try the other one?)

[Dennis Handly]

I hope that "date -u" displays the right date too?

[Tingli]

Also, if the date result is different between root and common users, then more possible the permission issue.

[Bill Hassell]

> exactly 7 hours

Yep, the TZ variable is not been set for ftpd. The ftpd daemon is started by rc scripts so if ftpd is wrong, most everything in inetd.conf is probably using the wrong TZ value. There should be only ONE location to set the timezone: /etc/TIMEZONE. This file is read by all the rc startup scripts. You can't use your local login to porve the time is correct unless you bypass TZ and use date -u. Occasionally, misinformed sysadmins will set TZ manually in .profile.

[Dennis Handly]

>Bill: misinformed sysadmins will set TZ manually in .profile.

Did you mean /etc/profile?
Or did you mean they change that file and not /etc/TIMEZONE?

[Bill Hassell]

> Dennis: /etc/profile

Yes, manually setting TZ in /etc/profile or even setting it in the skeleton .profile, not knowing that there is a system-wide file to source a standard TZ value. For users in other timezones, a manual setting in .profile can be useful.

[Dennis Handly]

>Bill: For users in other timezones, a manual setting in .profile can be useful.

Thanks, I wanted to make sure this was said.

[Steven Schweda]

I haven't tried it, but I'd expect that one
could set a time zone for the FTP server by
specifying an appropriate wrapper script in
inetd.conf instead of the actual ftpd
program.

[John Carver]

The /etc/profile entries appears correct:

# Set the TIMEZONE

if [ -r /etc/TIMEZONE ]
then
. /etc/TIMEZONE
else
TZ=MST7MDT # change this for local time.
export TZ
fi

/etc/TIMEZONE is readable by all. No TZ is set in the .profile.

What just occured to me is this server is using PROFTPD.

[John Carver]

Did a little research and I've added the entry "TimesGMT off" to the /etc/proftpd.conf file. Now the timestamp is displayed in local time from the ftp client. Thanks all for the discussion.