---
name: "ftime"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "Libc"
version: "1752.120.2"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ftime/3"
---

# ftime(3)

get date and time

## NAME

**ftime** – get date and time

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/timeb.h\>**

*int*\

**ftime**(*struct timeb \*tp*);

## DESCRIPTION

This interface is obsoleted by [gettimeofday(2)](/gettimeofday/2.md).

The **ftime**() routine fills in a structure pointed to by its argument, as defined by ⟨*sys/timeb.h*⟩:

```
/*
 * Structure returned by ftime system call
 */
struct timeb
{
	  time_t  time;
	  unsigned short millitm;
	  short   timezone;
	  short   dstflag;
};
```

The structure contains the time since the epoch, in seconds; up to 1000 milliseconds of more-precise interval; the local time zone (measured in minutes of time westward from Greenwich); and a flag that, if nonzero, indicates that Daylight Saving time applies locally during the appropriate part of the year.

## LEGACY SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/types.h\>** **#include \<sys/timeb.h\>**

The include file ⟨sys/types.h⟩ is necessary.

## SEE ALSO

[gettimeofday(2)](/gettimeofday/2.md), [settimeofday(2)](/settimeofday/2.md), [ctime(3)](/ctime/3.md), [time(3)](/time/3.md), [compat(5)](/compat/5.md)

## HISTORY

The **ftime** function appeared in 4.2BSD.