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<li><a class="reference internal" href="#">PyTime C API</a><ul>
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<li><a class="reference internal" href="#clock-functions">Clock Functions</a></li>
<li><a class="reference internal" href="#raw-clock-functions">Raw Clock Functions</a></li>
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<section id="pytime-c-api">
<span id="c-api-time"></span><h1>PyTime C API<a class="headerlink" href="#pytime-c-api" title="Link to this heading"></a></h1>
<div class="versionadded">
<p><span class="versionmodified added">Added in version 3.13.</span></p>
</div>
<p>The clock C API provides access to system clocks.
It is similar to the Python <a class="reference internal" href="../library/time.html#module-time" title="time: Time access and conversions."><code class="xref py py-mod docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">time</span></code></a> module.</p>
<p>For C API related to the <a class="reference internal" href="../library/datetime.html#module-datetime" title="datetime: Basic date and time types."><code class="xref py py-mod docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">datetime</span></code></a> module, see <a class="reference internal" href="datetime.html#datetimeobjects"><span class="std std-ref">DateTime Objects</span></a>.</p>
<section id="types">
<h2>Types<a class="headerlink" href="#types" title="Link to this heading"></a></h2>
<dl class="c type">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_t">
<span class="k"><span class="pre">type</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>A timestamp or duration in nanoseconds, represented as a signed 64-bit
integer.</p>
<p>The reference point for timestamps depends on the clock used. For example,
<a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_Time" title="PyTime_Time"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyTime_Time()</span></code></a> returns timestamps relative to the UNIX epoch.</p>
<p>The supported range is around [-292.3 years; +292.3 years].
Using the Unix epoch (January 1st, 1970) as reference, the supported date
range is around [1677-09-21; 2262-04-11].
The exact limits are exposed as constants:</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c var">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_MIN">
<a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_MIN</span></span></span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_MIN" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Minimum value of <a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><code class="xref c c-type docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></code></a>.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c var">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_MAX">
<a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_MAX</span></span></span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_MAX" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Maximum value of <a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><code class="xref c c-type docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></code></a>.</p>
</dd></dl>
</section>
<section id="clock-functions">
<h2>Clock Functions<a class="headerlink" href="#clock-functions" title="Link to this heading"></a></h2>
<p>The following functions take a pointer to a <span class="c-expr sig sig-inline c"><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n">PyTime_t</span></a></span> that they
set to the value of a particular clock.
Details of each clock are given in the documentation of the corresponding
Python function.</p>
<p>The functions return <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">0</span></code> on success, or <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">-1</span></code> (with an exception set)
on failure.</p>
<p>On integer overflow, they set the <code class="xref c c-data docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyExc_OverflowError</span></code> exception and
set <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">*result</span></code> to the value clamped to the <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">[PyTime_MIN;</span> <span class="pre">PyTime_MAX]</span></code>
range.
(On current systems, integer overflows are likely caused by misconfigured
system time.)</p>
<p>As any other C API (unless otherwise specified), the functions must be called
with the <a class="reference internal" href="../glossary.html#term-GIL"><span class="xref std std-term">GIL</span></a> held.</p>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_Monotonic">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">int</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_Monotonic</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">result</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_Monotonic" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Read the monotonic clock.
See <a class="reference internal" href="../library/time.html#time.monotonic" title="time.monotonic"><code class="xref py py-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">time.monotonic()</span></code></a> for important details on this clock.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_PerfCounter">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">int</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_PerfCounter</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">result</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_PerfCounter" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Read the performance counter.
See <a class="reference internal" href="../library/time.html#time.perf_counter" title="time.perf_counter"><code class="xref py py-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">time.perf_counter()</span></code></a> for important details on this clock.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_Time">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">int</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_Time</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">result</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_Time" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Read the “wall clock” time.
See <a class="reference internal" href="../library/time.html#time.time" title="time.time"><code class="xref py py-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">time.time()</span></code></a> for details important on this clock.</p>
</dd></dl>
</section>
<section id="raw-clock-functions">
<h2>Raw Clock Functions<a class="headerlink" href="#raw-clock-functions" title="Link to this heading"></a></h2>
<p>Similar to clock functions, but dont set an exception on error and dont
require the caller to hold the GIL.</p>
<p>On success, the functions return <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">0</span></code>.</p>
<p>On failure, they set <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">*result</span></code> to <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">0</span></code> and return <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">-1</span></code>, <em>without</em> setting
an exception. To get the cause of the error, acquire the GIL and call the
regular (non-<code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Raw</span></code>) function. Note that the regular function may succeed after
the <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">Raw</span></code> one failed.</p>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_MonotonicRaw">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">int</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_MonotonicRaw</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">result</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_MonotonicRaw" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Similar to <a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_Monotonic" title="PyTime_Monotonic"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyTime_Monotonic()</span></code></a>,
but dont set an exception on error and dont require holding the GIL.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_PerfCounterRaw">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">int</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_PerfCounterRaw</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">result</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_PerfCounterRaw" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Similar to <a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_PerfCounter" title="PyTime_PerfCounter"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyTime_PerfCounter()</span></code></a>,
but dont set an exception on error and dont require holding the GIL.</p>
</dd></dl>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_TimeRaw">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">int</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_TimeRaw</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="p"><span class="pre">*</span></span><span class="n"><span class="pre">result</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_TimeRaw" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Similar to <a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_Time" title="PyTime_Time"><code class="xref c c-func docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">PyTime_Time()</span></code></a>,
but dont set an exception on error and dont require holding the GIL.</p>
</dd></dl>
</section>
<section id="conversion-functions">
<h2>Conversion functions<a class="headerlink" href="#conversion-functions" title="Link to this heading"></a></h2>
<dl class="c function">
<dt class="sig sig-object c" id="c.PyTime_AsSecondsDouble">
<span class="kt"><span class="pre">double</span></span><span class="w"> </span><span class="sig-name descname"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_AsSecondsDouble</span></span></span><span class="sig-paren">(</span><a class="reference internal" href="#c.PyTime_t" title="PyTime_t"><span class="n"><span class="pre">PyTime_t</span></span></a><span class="w"> </span><span class="n"><span class="pre">t</span></span><span class="sig-paren">)</span><a class="headerlink" href="#c.PyTime_AsSecondsDouble" title="Link to this definition"></a><br /></dt>
<dd><p>Convert a timestamp to a number of seconds as a C <span class="c-expr sig sig-inline c"><span class="kt">double</span></span>.</p>
<p>The function cannot fail, but note that <span class="c-expr sig sig-inline c"><span class="kt">double</span></span> has limited
accuracy for large values.</p>
</dd></dl>
</section>
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