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RTC

The RTC (Real-Time Clock) provides mechanisms to set the current time of the hardware RTC with set_time API. The time is set as an offset measured in seconds from the time epoch (Unix Epoch - January 1, 1970). Time provides more information about C date and time standard library functions.

Note: If your MCU does not have an RTC nor an LPTICKER, you need to provide hooks to the external RTC you are using to the attach_rtc API. See the platform RTC API for more details about that function.

RTC class APIs are thread safe.

RTC can keep track of time even in a powered down state if the secondary source of power (battery) is connected.

RTC function reference

RTC Time example

/*
 * Copyright (c) 2006-2020 Arm Limited and affiliates.
 * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 */
#include "mbed.h"


int main()
{
    set_time(1256729737);  // Set RTC time to Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:35:37

    while (true) {
        time_t seconds = time(NULL);

        printf("Time as seconds since January 1, 1970 = %u\n", (unsigned int)seconds);

        printf("Time as a basic string = %s", ctime(&seconds));

        char buffer[32];
        strftime(buffer, 32, "%I:%M %p\n", localtime(&seconds));
        printf("Time as a custom formatted string = %s", buffer);

        ThisThread::sleep_for(1000);
    }
}

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