time()

Prototype: time_t time(time_t* timer);
Header File: time.h (C) or ctime (C++)
ANSI: C and C++
Explanation: Returns and sets the passed in variable to the number of seconds that have passed since 00:00:00 GMT January 1, 1970. If NULL is passed in, it will work as if it accepted nothing and return the same value.

Example:

//Program will use time_t to store number of seconds since 00:00:00 GMT
//Jan. 1, 1970
#include <ctime>
#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
    time_t hold_time;
    hold_time=time(NULL);
    cout<<"The number of elapsed seconds since Jan. 1, 1970 is "<<hold_time;
}

Other Functions