How to convert std::chrono::time_point to calendar datetime string with fractional seconds?

boxx picture boxx · Oct 11, 2012 · Viewed 100.3k times · Source

How to convert std::chrono::time_point to calendar datetime string with fractional seconds?

For example:

"10-10-2012 12:38:40.123456"

Answer

Akira Takahashi picture Akira Takahashi · Oct 11, 2012

If system_clock, this class have time_t conversion.

#include <iostream>
#include <chrono>
#include <ctime>

using namespace std::chrono;

int main()
{
  system_clock::time_point p = system_clock::now();

  std::time_t t = system_clock::to_time_t(p);
  std::cout << std::ctime(&t) << std::endl; // for example : Tue Sep 27 14:21:13 2011
}

example result:

Thu Oct 11 19:10:24 2012

EDIT: But, time_t does not contain fractional seconds. Alternative way is to use time_point::time_since_epoch() function. This function returns duration from epoch. Follow example is milli second resolution's fractional.

#include <iostream>
#include <chrono>
#include <ctime>

using namespace std::chrono;

int main()
{
  high_resolution_clock::time_point p = high_resolution_clock::now();

  milliseconds ms = duration_cast<milliseconds>(p.time_since_epoch());

  seconds s = duration_cast<seconds>(ms);
  std::time_t t = s.count();
  std::size_t fractional_seconds = ms.count() % 1000;

  std::cout << std::ctime(&t) << std::endl;
  std::cout << fractional_seconds << std::endl;
}

example result:

Thu Oct 11 19:10:24 2012

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