-----Original Message----- From: alan perry [SMTP:esprit@jps.net] Sent: Thursday, June 10, 1999 1:18 PM To: tz@elsie.nci.nih.gov Subject: 64-bit time_t and tz file format A couple of days ago, I posted something to this list about how to go about changing the tz file format to support a 64-bit time_t value. I have heard nothing back. I was looking through the tzcode to see if this problem has been addressed already and found the following comment in the zic source.

** The tz file format currently allows at most 32-bit quantities. ** This restriction should be removed before signed 32-bit values ** wrap around in 2038, but unfortunately this will require a ** change to the tz file format.

So, has anyone been looking into this issue? As I noted earlier, the current tz file format doesn't scale well to a 64-bit time_t and all of the possible additional timezone transitions that result from the addition years that can be represented. As OS vendors (including the one that I used to work for) consider what to do with time_t when their OS adds 64-bit support and how to deal with 2038, they might be tempted to come up with their own solution if it doesn't get addressed by the elsie code. alan