The '''TIME$''' Function returns a [[STRING]] representation of the current computer time in a 24 hour format.


{{PageSyntax}}
:: PRINT "Present time = "; '''TIME$'''


* Returns the present computer time in hh:mm:ss 24 hour format: "19:20:33"
* Uses 2 colon (:) separators between hours, minutes and seconds
* Hour values range from "00" to "23" starting from midnite.
* Minutes and seconds range from "00" to "59"
* Continuous TIME$ calls may lag if a QBasic program is minimized to the taskbar!


''Example 1:'' A simple clock using [[DRAW]] with Turn Angle.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|SCREEN}} 12
{{Cl|DO}}
    {{Cl|CLS}}
    t$ = {{Cl|TIME$}}: h = {{Cl|VAL}}(t$): m = {{Cl|VAL}}({{Cl|MID$}}(t$, 4, 2)): s = {{Cl|VAL}}({{Cl|MID$}}(t$, 7, 2))
    {{Cl|PRINT}} t$
    {{Cl|CIRCLE}} {{Cl|STEP}}(0, 0), 200, 8
    {{Cl|DRAW}} "c12ta" + {{Cl|STR$}}((h {{Cl|MOD}} 12) * -30) + "nu133"
    {{Cl|DRAW}} "c14ta" + {{Cl|STR$}}(m * -6) + "nu200"
    {{Cl|DRAW}} "c9ta" + {{Cl|STR$}}(s * -6) + "nu200"
    {{Cl|_DISPLAY}}
    {{Cl|_LIMIT}} 1
{{Cl|LOOP}} {{Cl|UNTIL}} {{Cl|INKEY$}} = {{Cl|CHR$}}(27) '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
{{small|Code by Galleon}}
: Explanation: Note that [[VAL]](TIME$) can just return the hour number 0 to 23 as the read stops at the first colon.


''Example 2:'' The following Function converts TIME$ to normal 12 hour AM-PM digital clock  format.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
PRINT TIME$
PRINT Clock$

{{Cl|FUNCTION}} Clock$
hour$ = {{Cl|LEFT$}}(TIME$, 2): H% = {{Cl|VAL}}(hour$)
min$ = {{Cl|MID$}}(TIME$, 3, 3)   
IF H% >= 12 THEN ampm$ = " PM" ELSE ampm$ = " AM" 
IF H% > 12 THEN
  IF H% - 12 &lt; 10 THEN hour$ = {{Cl|STR$}}(H% - 12) ELSE hour$ = {{Cl|LTRIM$}}({{Cl|STR$}}(H% - 12))
ELSEIF H% = 0 THEN hour$ = "12"          ' midnight hour
ELSE : IF H% &lt; 10 THEN hour$ = {{Cl|STR$}}(H%)  ' eliminate leading zeros   
END IF  
Clock$ = hour$ + min$ + ampm$
END FUNCTION '' ''
{{CodeEnd}}
{{OutputStart}}
14:13:36
 2:13 PM
{{OutputEnd}}
:''Explanation:'' When hours are less than 10 (but not 0), {{KW|STR$}}(H%) alone keeps a space ahead of the hour. For 2 digit hours, {{KW|LTRIM$}} is used to remove that leading space. For the hours of 10 AM to 12 PM, the hour {{KW|STRING}} value is passed from {{KW|LEFT$}}(TIME$, 2) at the beginning of the function.


''See also:'' 
* [[TIME$ (statement)]], [[TIMER]]
* [[DATE$]], [[DATE$ (statement)]] 
* [[VAL]], [[STR$]], [[HEX$]] 
* [[LTRIM$]], [[MID$]], [[LEFT$]]
* [[IF...THEN]]


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