(de lpad (n str)
    (cond ((is_integer str) (setq str (ltoa str 10))))
    (while (lt (strlen str) n)
        (setq str (strcat "0" str))
    )
    str
)

;* readtime takes a handle to a time device and returns a string represenation 
;* of that time device.  If buffer is non nil it is concatted onto the name of the
;* time device.   readtime( openpath( "/dev/time" ), NULL) returns a user friendly time
;* Thursday October 23 1985 14:27:33.234 (or whatever)
;* readtime( openpath( "/dev/time" ), "year") returns "2005" (or whatever)
;* readtime( openpath( "/dev/time/year" ), NULL ) returns "2005" (or whatever)

(de readtime (handle buffer)
    (setq handle (cddr (strtok (car handle) "/")))
    (cond ((nilp buffer) (setq buffer (car handle))))
    (cond
        ((nilp buffer)
            (strcat 
                (lpad 4 (add 1900 (iftime 8)))  (lpad 2 (add 1 (iftime 6))) (lpad 2 (iftime 5)) 
                (lpad 2 (iftime 1)) (lpad 2 (iftime 0)) (lpad 2 (iftime 4))
                "P"
                (cond ((eqv (iftime 9) 0) "S") (t "D"))
                "T"
            )
        )
        ((strcmp buffer "year") (lpad 4 (add 1900 (iftime 8))))
        ((strcmp buffer "month") (lpad 2 (add 1 (iftime 6))))
        ((strcmp buffer "hour") (lpad 2 (iftime 1)))
        ((strcmp buffer "minuite") (lpad 2 (iftime 0)))
        ((strcmp buffer "second") (lpad 2 (iftime 4)))
        ((strcmp buffer "day_of_year") (lpad 3 (iftime 2)))
        ((strcmp buffer "day_of_month") (lpad 2 (iftime 5)))
        ((strcmp buffer "day_of_week") (lpad 1 (iftime 7)))
        ((strcmp buffer "friendly") 
            (strcat
                (array days (iftime 7)) " "
                (array months (iftime 6)) " "
                (ltoa (iftime 5) 10) " "
                (lpad 4 (add 1900 (iftime 8))) " "
                (lpad 2 (iftime 1)) ":" 
                (lpad 2 (iftime 0)) ":" 
                (lpad 2 (iftime 4)) 
            )
        )
    )
)

;* writetime should set the time on the  machine
;* FIX: this is not yet implemented.

(de writetime (handle buffer)
    (setq handle (cddr (strtok (car handle) "/")))
    (cond ((nilp buffer) (setq buffer (car handle))))
    (cond
        ((nilp buffer)
            (strcat 
                (lpad 4 (add 1900 (iftime 8)))  (lpad 2 (add 1 (iftime 6))) (lpad 2 (iftime 5)) 
                (lpad 2 (iftime 1)) (lpad 2 (iftime 0)) (lpad 2 (iftime 4))
                "P"
                (cond ((eqv (iftime 9) 0) "S") (t "D"))
                "T"
            )
        )
        ((strcmp buffer "year") (lpad 4 (add 1900 (iftime 8))))
        ((strcmp buffer "month") (lpad 2 (add 1 (iftime 6))))
        ((strcmp buffer "hour") (lpad 2 (iftime 1)))
        ((strcmp buffer "minuite") (lpad 2 (iftime 0)))
        ((strcmp buffer "second") (lpad 2 (iftime 4)))
        ((strcmp buffer "day_of_year") (lpad 3 (iftime 2)))
        ((strcmp buffer "day_of_month") (lpad 2 (iftime 5)))
        ((strcmp buffer "day_of_week") (lpad 1 (iftime 7)))
        ((strcmp buffer "friendly") 
            (strcat
                (array days (iftime 7)) " "
                (array months (iftime 6)) " "
                (ltoa (iftime 5) 10) " "
                (lpad 4 (add 1900 (iftime 8))) " "
                (lpad 2 (iftime 1)) ":" 
                (lpad 2 (iftime 0)) ":" 
                (lpad 2 (iftime 4)) 
            )
        )
    )
)