How can I extract the value of my current local time offset?

Question

I'm struggling a bit trying to format and display some IBM mainframe TOD clock data. I want to format the data in both GMT and local time (as the default -- otherwise in the zone the user specifies).

For this, I need to get the value of the local time offset from GMT as a signed integer number of seconds.

In zoneinfo.go (which I confess I don't fully understand), I can see

// A zone represents a single time zone such as CEST or CET.
type zone struct {
    name   string // abbreviated name, "CET"
    offset int    // seconds east of UTC
    isDST  bool   // is this zone Daylight Savings Time?
}

but this is not, I think, exported, so this code doesn't work:

package main
import ( "time"; "fmt" )

func main() {
    l, _ := time.LoadLocation("Local")
    fmt.Printf("%v\n", l.zone.offset)
}

Is there a simple way to get this information?

@olif wins, in a very close-run thing. Thank you all for your answers. — Brent.Longborough, Jan 24 '16 at 20:48

score 47 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 18 '18 at 05:44

47

You can use the Zone() method on the time type:

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "time"
)

func main() {
    t := time.Now()
    zone, offset := t.Zone()
    fmt.Println(zone, offset)
}

Zone computes the time zone in effect at time t, returning the abbreviated name of the zone (such as "CET") and its offset in seconds east of UTC.

edited Oct 18 '18 at 05:44

Rambatino

4,716
1
33
56

answered Jan 24 '16 at 12:41

olif

3,221
2
25
23

This has the args wrong - Should be z, _ := t.Zone(), assuming you want the timezone as a string. – rfay Mar 11 '18 at 16:07

peterSO · Answer 2 · 2016-01-24T16:48:55.510

Package time

func (Time) Local
func (t Time) Local() Time
Local returns t with the location set to local time.

func (Time) Zone
func (t Time) Zone() (name string, offset int)
Zone computes the time zone in effect at time t, returning the abbreviated name of the zone (such as "CET") and its offset in seconds east of UTC.

type Location
type Location struct {
        // contains filtered or unexported fields
}
A Location maps time instants to the zone in use at that time. Typically, the Location represents the collection of time offsets in use in a geographical area, such as CEST and CET for central Europe.
var Local *Location = &localLoc
Local represents the system's local time zone.
var UTC *Location = &utcLoc
UTC represents Universal Coordinated Time (UTC).

func (Time) In
func (t Time) In(loc *Location) Time
In returns t with the location information set to loc.

In panics if loc is nil.

For example,

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "time"
)

func main() {
    t := time.Now()

    // For a time t, offset in seconds east of UTC (GMT)
    _, offset := t.Local().Zone()
    fmt.Println(offset)

    // For a time t, format and display as UTC (GMT) and local times.
    fmt.Println(t.In(time.UTC))
    fmt.Println(t.In(time.Local))
}

Output:

-18000
2016-01-24 16:48:32.852638798 +0000 UTC
2016-01-24 11:48:32.852638798 -0500 EST

score 8 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 24 '16 at 12:56

I don't think it makes sense to manually convert time to another TZ. Use time.Time.In function:

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "time"
)

func printTime(t time.Time) {
    zone, offset := t.Zone()
    fmt.Println(t.Format(time.Kitchen), "Zone:", zone, "Offset UTC:", offset)
}

func main() {
    printTime(time.Now())
    printTime(time.Now().UTC())

    loc, _ := time.LoadLocation("America/New_York")
    printTime(time.Now().In(loc))
}

How can I extract the value of my current local time offset?

3 Answers3

Linked