---
name: "mdate"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "mdate"
version: "1.0.1-3"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mdate"
---

# mdate(1)

a command-line mayan date utility

## NAME

mdate - a command-line mayan date utility

## SYNOPSIS

**mdate** \[ \] \[-d day month \[-\]year\] \[-j julian day number\] \[-l mayan long count\] \[-h\|?\] \[-v\]

## DESCRIPTION

**mdate** with no arguments prints the Mayan Long Count for the current date. For most options, it will return Mayan Long Counts also.

## OPTIONS

- **mdate**

  Returns the current Mayan Long Count for today.

- *-d day month year*

  Enter a day month year in the form dd mm yyyy Gets the Mayan Long Count for the date specified. The year may be negative for BC dates. Gregorian dates are always returned.

- *-j \<julian day number\>*

  Enter a number with a decimal point eg  **mdate** *-j 584285.0.* Gets the Mayan Long Count on a specified Julian Date.

- *-l \<mayan long count\>*

  Enter a Mayan Long Count in the form baktun katun tun kin uinal eg **mdate** *-l 12 19 7 8 0* Gets the Gregorian Date on a specified Long Count.

- *-? -h*

  Displays the version and help for **mdate**

- *-v*

  Displays the version of **mdate** and exits.

## EXAMPLES

To get today's date

-

  mdate

To get today's date using the day month year arguments

-

  mdate -d 24 03 1999

To get the current Mayan Long Count using today's Julian Day Number

-

  mdate -j 2451215.0

To get today's date using the current Mayan Long Count

-

  mdate -l 12 19 5 16 12

## NOTES

If compiled with the *--with-tkmdate* option, **mdate** ´s command-line output is simplified to a one-liner for easier parsing by *tkmdate(1)* as well as future output interfaces.

## BUGS

An awful lot probably.

This software is still in beta testing, and any help in fixing these known bugs would be greatly appreciated. I have been told it is a thankless task to even consider implementing a mayan date program in C in the first place; however, i am thinking of users, not implementors: the fact that mdate returns correct results for today's dates i considered worthwhile enough for most people's purposes to distribute as a beta test release.

The field of mayan calendars, in fact, is strewn with pitfalls, and there are many other applications of mayan calendars i could add to the program if i wished, but the current purposes i feel are hairy enough to start with.

## SEE ALSO

See the stuff in the distribution's doc/ directory (such as this file) and in /usr/doc/mdate, if that exists.

*tkmdate(1)*

## FILES

**Mdate** doesn't require any specific files.

## AUTHOR

Sean Dwyer **\<ewe2@cvis.com.au\>**

## CONTRIBUTORS

CDR **\<crobbins@ion.com.au\>**