Programmatically set system time to the correct server time in .NET?

Question

Is it possible to set the system time to the correct server time in .NET? I have a test case that mess up with the system time, I want to restore it in the test case's teardown. Is it possible to restore the correct time (e.g. from a server) programmatically?

NOTE: I will need this for both unit test and acceptance test. Injecting fake time does not apply for the latter.

A cleaner way of dealing with time in unit tests is talked about here: http://ayende.com/blog/3408/dealing-with-time-in-tests — ilivewithian, Nov 29 '12 at 10:40
It is probably easier and safer to abstract the concept of time in your code and then use a stub in your unit test to provide whatever time you require. E.g. `interface ITimeSource { DateTime Now { get; } }`. — Martin Liversage, Nov 29 '12 at 10:45
@MartinLiversage I will need to do acceptance test as well, I will still have to manipulate the system time. — Louis Rhys, Nov 29 '12 at 10:51

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:33

4

This is to set the time (once you know it):

Change system date programmatically

and if you mean to GET the time from a valid source, probably the answer in this discussion will help you: How to Query an NTP Server using C#?

edited May 23 '17 at 10:33

Community

1
1

answered Nov 29 '12 at 10:43

Jorge Alvarado

2,664
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score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 12 '15 at 14:16

 void setDate(string dateInYourSystemFormat)
    {
        var proc = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
        proc.UseShellExecute = true;
        proc.WorkingDirectory = @"C:\Windows\System32";
        proc.CreateNoWindow = true;
        proc.FileName = @"C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe";
        proc.Verb = "runas";
        proc.Arguments = "/C date " + dateInYourSystemFormat;
        try
        {
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(proc);
        }
        catch
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Error to change time of your system");
            Application.ExitThread();
        }
    }
void setTime(string timeInYourSystemFormat)
    {
        var proc = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
        proc.UseShellExecute = true;
        proc.WorkingDirectory = @"C:\Windows\System32";
        proc.CreateNoWindow = true;
        proc.FileName = @"C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe";
        proc.Verb = "runas";
        proc.Arguments = "/C time " + timeInYourSystemFormat;
        try
        {
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(proc);
        }
        catch
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Error to change time of your system");
            Application.ExitThread();
        }
    }

Programmatically set system time to the correct server time in .NET?

2 Answers2