[rrd-users] Time format

[Karl Fischer]

Peter Meszaros wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> I just have created an rrdtool database with '--start 0' for evaluating
> purpouse, but the timestamps in the database are not counted since the epoch.
> I've also tried several other solutions (eg. "00:00 19700101"), but I
> only got useless error "question": 
> 
> ERROR: start time: did you really mean month 19700101?
> 
> No, I meant what I wrote!
> 
> I've read manpages and the rrd_parsetime.c. The latter is much more
> informative, and if I'm not wrong the "00:00 19700101" should work, but
> not.
> 
> Is it possible to give the Epoch as starting time? 
> So many "human time-expression" (teatime wow!) is implemented except [Ee]poch.
> 
> I am using rrdtool 1.3.1.
> 
> Thanks in advance.

Peter,

older versions of rrdtool give you the following error:
"ERROR: the first entry to the RRD should be after 1980"

so
rrdtool create test.rrd --start 01/01/80 DS:test:GAUGE:120:0:U RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:1:10
does work, while
rrdtool create test.rrd --start 01/01/70 DS:test:GAUGE:120:0:U RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:1:10
does not.

rrdtool seems not to accept any date before 1980

hth

- Karl