This topic provides guidelines for using date and time
information in Rational® ClearQuest®.
The
accuracy of date and time information in a
Rational ClearQuest database
requires that the time, date, and time zone are set correctly on client
machines and on database and Web servers. For example:
- When using Rational ClearQuest Web,
accurate times depend on correct time settings on the Web servers.
- History times might not be accurate if time settings on a database
server are not set correctly.
- Times stored in schema fields (such as submit_date) are based
on the client local time, and thus their accuracy depends on correct
client or Web server settings.
Times are stored in a Rational ClearQuest database
as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). UTC times that are converted
to that format from their actual client local times occurs for all
but history time stamps. History time stamps are stored based on database
server local time and are not converted to or from UTC.
- For all time stamps except those in the history table, the local
time for the Web server or the client is converted to its UTC equivalent
and saved in the database. When it is displayed, this time stamp is
converted to the local time. For example, when a client runs a query,
the time displayed depends on the client interface from which the
query runs. Query result sets convert the UTC stored in the database
to client or Web Server local time before they are displayed.
- Times stored in the history table (action_timestamp and expired_timestamp)
are database server local times. The history action_timestamp is
displayed unmodified on the history tab of a record. The expired_timestamp
is not displayed. If you write a query to fetch the time stamps from
the history table, the action_timestamp is displayed unmodified.