Wrong time (1 sec diff) displayed in TC 6.53

[ecto]

Image: http://danny.swalas.org/wrong_time_in_totalcmd.gif

In the above image, Total Commander (6.53, WinXp) displays the date as 16:26:10, but the real date is 16:26:11 (I did a touch to change the time so I know that 11 is the correct number for the seconds).

Why? Is this some kind of rounding error, i.e. invisible milliseconds that are interpreted differently by the properties dialog and TC (one rounding up, one down)?

Sorry if this has been asked before, I did some searching but found no answer.

[Clo]

2ecto

Hello !

¤ Except I mistake, I think that TC uses(used?) the DOS system for the time which works by 2-second steps…
- Hence, an odd amount of seconds (11) couln't be displayed in the case, just even values “10” or “12”…

 Kind regards,
Claude
Clo

[ecto]

Oh, now that I look a little more closely it seems you are right - I can't see a single file with odd-numbered seconds

Seriously though.. this seems a bit tacky. Such a great program as TC, not being able to display odd-numbered seconds? Or is the problem derived from some old file system limitation? Shouldn't be too hard to make a workaround if that's the case, right?

Seems like a silly problem, but it bothers me as I regularly compare (by quick eye-balling) lots of files by their exact date/time

[karlchen]

Clo is right.

TC sticks to some outdated routine to determine and display filetimes in order to be compatible with old Windows versions that had the 2-seconds-restriction.

TC could do better on NT-based systems, yet Christian Ghisler decided not to implement two different routines for NT-based systems and "prehistoric" systems.

I know this has been discussed in this forum before. I am just too lazy now to use the Search button and look up the old thread.

Karl

[majkinetor]

Add [BUG] prefix in your topic name.

Because this is a bug. I don't care about systems used.

[SanskritFritz]

http://ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=55386#55386

[ecto]

Thanks everybody for the info.

From the ShellDetails thread:

TC uses the date/time format used by the FAT(32) file system, which is accurate to 2 seconds only. Apparently the seconds are rounded up in one case, and down in the other...

So, this "error" is by design (ie. ghisler decided to do it this way, like karlchen pointed out). My obvious question is; why? If it can be done correctly, why not do it? Too hard, other stuff much more prioritized in the todo-list, or..?

I searched but couldn't find any more info - like exactly why ghisler decided to do it this way and if it's planned to change in the future. If anyone could point me to information about all this, I'd be greatful!

[aguirRe]

AFAIK, the limitation is in the file system, not TC itself; it only reads the timestamp via the OS. See here: http://www.jpsoft.com/help/index.htm?timestamps.htm

[ecto]

Yes, it's a limitation of FAT, but not of NTFS.

So why don't use the added resolution of NTFS when applicable? I haven't used FAT for several years, and I guess most users haven't.

Comments, ghisler?

(Thanks for the link btw aquirRe!)

[petermad]

2ecto

I guess most users haven't.

Well - floppy disks, CD-ROM's and memorycards usually use FAT - and I personally use both FAT and NTFS on my harddisks - but of course I am not most users

[ecto]

Ok, you got me about the CD-ROMs (and floppies) , but I still don't understand why TC doesn't use NTFS timestamp when available..

[petermad]

2ecto
I agree - NTFS timestamp should be used when available.

[Sheepdog]

CD-ROM's... usually use FAT -

Sorry, but CD-Rom does not use FAT at all but ISO 9696 or newer the UDF-filesystem. That's the main reason you could not access a CD-Rom on DOS or Win95 Machines withouit a proper driver.

On the other hand I agree that FAT is still in use at many machines e.g all machines that still run Win95/98 mandatory use the FAT format. And for external harddiscs it is mostly a good idea, too, to use FAT because FAT is supported by many different Operating systems - so you can access Data on FAT partitions from MAC-OS, Windows or Unix.

sheepdog

[petermad]

2Sheepdog

CD-Rom does not use FAT

Sorry you are right of course - I even tested a little - it seems that ISO supports uneven seconds in the timestamp, as do UDF.