== Timezones === Timezone Specifiers Certain \Time methods accept arguments that specify timezones: - Time.at: keyword argument +in:+. - Time.new: positional argument +zone+ or keyword argument +in:+. - Time.now: keyword argument +in:+. - Time#getlocal: positional argument +zone+. - Time#localtime: positional argument +zone+. The value given with any of these must be one of the following (each detailed below): - {Hours/minutes offset}[rdoc-ref:timezones.rdoc@Hours-2FMinutes+Offsets]. - {Single-letter offset}[rdoc-ref:timezones.rdoc@Single-Letter+Offsets]. - {Integer offset}[rdoc-ref:timezones.rdoc@Integer+Offsets]. - {Timezone object}[rdoc-ref:timezones.rdoc@Timezone+Objects]. ==== Hours/Minutes Offsets The zone value may be a string offset from UTC in the form '+HH:MM' or '-HH:MM', where: - +HH+ is the 2-digit hour in the range 0..23. - +MM+ is the 2-digit minute in the range 0..59. Examples: t = Time.utc(2000, 1, 1, 20, 15, 1) # => 2000-01-01 20:15:01 UTC Time.at(t, in: '-23:59') # => 1999-12-31 20:16:01 -2359 Time.at(t, in: '+23:59') # => 2000-01-02 20:14:01 +2359 ==== Single-Letter Offsets The zone value may be a letter in the range 'A'..'I' or 'K'..'Z'; see {List of military time zones}[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_military_time_zones]: t = Time.utc(2000, 1, 1, 20, 15, 1) # => 2000-01-01 20:15:01 UTC Time.at(t, in: 'A') # => 2000-01-01 21:15:01 +0100 Time.at(t, in: 'I') # => 2000-01-02 05:15:01 +0900 Time.at(t, in: 'K') # => 2000-01-02 06:15:01 +1000 Time.at(t, in: 'Y') # => 2000-01-01 08:15:01 -1200 Time.at(t, in: 'Z') # => 2000-01-01 20:15:01 UTC ==== \Integer Offsets The zone value may be an integer number of seconds in the range -86399..86399: t = Time.utc(2000, 1, 1, 20, 15, 1) # => 2000-01-01 20:15:01 UTC Time.at(t, in: -86399) # => 1999-12-31 20:15:02 -235959 Time.at(t, in: 86399) # => 2000-01-02 20:15:00 +235959 ==== Timezone Objects In most cases, the zone value may be an object responding to certain timezone methods. \Exceptions (timezone object not allowed): - Time.new with positional argument +zone+. - Time.now with keyword argument +in:+. The timezone methods are: - +local_to_utc+: - Called when Time.new is invoked with +tz+ as the value of positional argument +zone+ or keyword argument +in:+. - Argument: a Time::tm object. - Returns: a \Time-like object in the UTC timezone. - +utc_to_local+: - Called when Time.at or Time.now is invoked with +tz+ as the value for keyword argument +in:+, and when Time#getlocal or Time#localtime is called with +tz+ as the value for positional argument +zone+. - Argument: a Time::tm object. - Returns: a \Time-like object in the local timezone. A custom timezone class may have these instance methods, which will be called if defined: - +abbr+: - Called when Time#strftime is invoked with a format involving %Z. - Argument: a Time::tm object. - Returns: a string abbreviation for the timezone name. - +dst?+: - Called when Time.at or Time.now is invoked with +tz+ as the value for keyword argument +in:+, and when Time#getlocal or Time#localtime is called with +tz+ as the value for positional argument +zone+. - Argument: a Time::tm object. - Returns: whether the time is daylight saving time. - +name+: - Called when Marshal.dump(t) is invoked - Argument: none. - Returns: the string name of the timezone.