Getting System Time From SQL Server

[Neil]

I'm using an Access MDB as a front end to a SQL 7 database. When I place the
system time in a field in Access, it used the user's clock. I'd like to use
the SQL Server system time, so that the times will be synchronized. I
suppose I can just do a pass-through query with "select getdate()." But I
was wondering if there was some built-in method, either in Access or SQL
Server. I'm concerned about the overhead of running a pass-through query
every time I need the current time.

Thanks.

 

[Erland Sommarskog]

I'm using an Access MDB as a front end to a SQL 7 database. When I place
the system time in a field in Access, it used the user's clock. I'd like
to use the SQL Server system time, so that the times will be
synchronized. I suppose I can just do a pass-through query with "select
getdate()." But I was wondering if there was some built-in method,
either in Access or SQL Server. I'm concerned about the overhead of
running a pass-through query every time I need the current time.

It you want the time on the server, "SELECT getdate()" is probably the
simplest way to do it. But you could of course make a remote procedure
call outside SQL Server as a little exercise in Windows programming
if you like. I can't see that's worth the pain, though.


--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, (e-mail address removed)

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downloads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books.mspx

 

[Neil]

It you want the time on the server, "SELECT getdate()" is probably the
simplest way to do it. But you could of course make a remote procedure
call outside SQL Server as a little exercise in Windows programming
if you like. I can't see that's worth the pain, though.

Thanks! Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I'm using an Access MDB as a front end to a SQL 7 database. When I place the
system time in a field in Access, it used the user's clock. I'd like to use
the SQL Server system time, so that the times will be synchronized. I
suppose I can just do a pass-through query with "select getdate()." But I
was wondering if there was some built-in method, either in Access or SQL
Server. I'm concerned about the overhead of running a pass-through query
every time I need the current time.

In a corporate network everyone should be using a common time source.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Neil]

Well, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. Individual computers
vary from the server time by as much as 10 minutes! Is there some sort of
setting to use to use the server time. Maybe I'll pass that along to the
admin and see if he implements it.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Well, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case.

Individual computers
vary from the server time by as much as 10 minutes! Is there some sort of
setting to use to use the server time.

Yes, there is however I'm not at all sure how to do it. I think it involves ensuring
a server is hitting an Internet time source on a regular basis. Then, presumably
using group policy, ensure everyone on the network get thier time from the server.
But I'm not an IT person so I have no idea.

Tony

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Well, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. Individual computers
vary from the server time by as much as 10 minutes! Is there some sort of
setting to use to use the server time. Maybe I'll pass that along to the
admin and see if he implements it.

BTW there are functions to also get the system time from a server and
compare that to the time on the PC. You can use that to show the IT
department.

API: Retrieve NT Server's Time
http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0039.htm

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Pieter Wijnen]

The command line (which should be included in the logon script) is:

net time /DOMAINomainName /SET

HtH

Pieter

 

[Neil]

"Pieter Wijnen"

The command line (which should be included in the logon script) is:

net time /DOMAINomainName /SET

HtH

Pieter

Just to be clear, putting that into the user's logon script will set their
PC's time to the server's time?

 

[Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)]

"Pieter Wijnen"


Just to be clear, putting that into the user's logon script will set their
PC's time to the server's time?

To the DOMAIN controller's time.

The SQL server (which in most cases is not a DC) should also synch to the
domain controller.

There's also a registry setting to force it to synch that can be set under
domain policies.

The only time I've had to do the net time /domain: in recent memory was when
the time of the client was so far off that it wouldn't log in properly.