How do i convert time to string, using the localtime_s() function?

[Juicej]

I switched from DevC++ to Microsoft Visual Studio while working on a project.

MVS suggested that I change the localtime() to localtime_s(), else it threw an error.

I did some changing around but the output comes up in some gibberish language.

I tried changing from using unicode character set to multi-byte character set but the output still persist.

Can someone please give me some advice on changes I should make?

#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <time.h>

LPCSTR loopStartTime()
{
       time_t rawtime = time(0);
       tm timeinfo{};
	char buffer[35];
	static int counter;

	time(&rawtime);
	localtime_s(&timeinfo, &rawtime);			// get local time

	// covert time to string
	strftime(buffer, 30, "loop start []: %i:%m:%s%p.\n\n", &timeinfo);

	static string str = buffer;
	string str1 = to_string(counter);

	str.insert(12, str1);

	counter++;

	return str.c_str();
}

[thmm]

Maybe asctime is for you.
Have a look here: http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/ctime/localtime/

[George P]

Look REAL close at your strftime format string. I, M and S. not i, m and s.

#include <iostream>
#include <ctime>
#include <cstring>
#include <string>

int main()
{
   const size_t  strSize = 255;
   time_t        t       = time(NULL);

   tm time_now;
   localtime_s(&time_now, &t);

   char cstr[strSize] = "";
   strftime(cstr, strSize, "loop start []: %I:%M:%S%p.\n\n", &time_now);

   std::string str = cstr;

   // display the time
   std::cout << str << '\n';
}

Compiles just fine with MSVC 2019.

Why bother with a std::string just to add a number when you can use sprintf_s and concatenate that to your time C string.

For that matter the return type should be PCSTR, not LPCSTR. There are no long pointers in 32/64 bit Windows. long pointers are an artifact of 16-bit Windows.

[thmm]

Another option:

std::string now()
{
  time_t rawtime = time(0);
  tm timeinfo{};

  time(&rawtime);
  localtime_s(&timeinfo, &rawtime);			// get local time

  std::ostringstream oss;

  oss << timeinfo.tm_hour << '.' << timeinfo.tm_min << '.'
    << timeinfo.tm_sec;

  return oss.str();
}