NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     rdate - set the system's date from a remote host

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

     rdate [-46acnpsv] host

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

     rdate displays and sets the local date  and  time  from  the
host name or address
  given as the argument.  The time source may be an RFC
868 TCP protocol
 server, which is usually  implemented  as  a  built-in
service of
     inetd(8),  or  an RFC 2030 protocol SNTP/NTP server.  By default, rdate uses
 the RFC 868 TCP protocol.

     The options are as follows:

     -4      Forces rdate to use IPv4 addresses only.

     -6      Forces rdate to use IPv6 addresses only.

     -a      Use the adjtime(2) call to gradually skew the  local
time to the
             remote time rather than just hopping.

     -c       Correct leap seconds.  Sometimes required when synchronizing to
             an NTP server.  When synchronizing using the RFC 868
protocol,
             use this option only if the server does not correctly account for
             leap seconds.  You can determine if  you  need  this
parameter if
             you sync against an NTP server (with this parameter)
or (recommended)
 check with a local radio controlled watch or
phone service.


     -n      Use SNTP (RFC 2030) instead of the RFC 868 time protocol.

     -p      Do not set, just print the remote time.

     -s      Do not print the time.

     -v      Verbose output.  Always show the adjustment.

FILES    [Toc]    [Back]

     /var/log/wtmp  record of date resets and time changes

EXAMPLES    [Toc]    [Back]

     To get the legal time in  Germany,  set  the  /etc/localtime
symlink to
     /usr/share/zoneinfo/right/Europe/Berlin  and  issue the following command:

           # rdate -ncv ptbtime1.ptb.de

     The command of course assumes you have  a  working  internet
connection and
     DNS    set    up    to    connect    to    the   server   at

Physikalisch-Technische    [Toc]    [Back]

     Bundesanstalt in Braunschweig, Germany.

     To gradually adjust time once an hour after the first "step"
adjustment,
     put the following line into root's crontab:

           58   *   *  *  *  rdate -ncav ptbtime1.ptb.de | logger
-t NTP

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     date(1), adjtime(2), inetd(8), ntpd(8), timed(8)

OpenBSD     3.6                          April      30,      1994