Automachron description
Freeware SNTP client - Simple Network Time Protocol - for synchronizing your computer's time with an NTP server.

Automachron is a reliable, unique and freeware SNTP client - Simple Network Time Protocol - for synchronizing your computer's time with an NTP server.

Automachron supports SNTP as well as TIME (both UDP and TCP) for synchronizing time over the internet. Automachron is much less intrusive than its predecessor Netdate.

Automachron is very easy to setup and use. Click the 'Host ...' button in the properties dialog box to enter a hostname for your favourite ntp server

Context sensitive help in dialog boxes
Click on the ? icon at the top left of the dialog box, then click on the control for a description of its function.
Wait for dialup connection
Synchronisation is not attempted with this option until a dialup connection is made when this option is selected. Do not use if you're connected to the internet through a LAN.
Adjustments
Max Ahead - maximum time adjustment forward (default 3600 secs)
Max Back - maximum time adjustment backward (default 600 secs)
Prompt - ask when time change is greater than either of the adjustment limits
Accept - ignore the adjustment limits and set the time received
Truncate - truncate the time adjustment according to the adjustment limts (default)
Startup shortcut
Run Automachron automatically at startup (a shortcut named Automachron is place in your startup folder)
Sync at startup
Synchronises time when Automachron starts unless the wait for dialup connection option is selected
Close after Sync
When this option is set Automachron gets the time and closes immediately after setting the local time. Note that if this option is set the only way to turn the option off is to hold down the Ctrl key when the program is starting.
Broadcast client support
Automachron will now act as a broadcast client. To use this feature you must be on a network on which NTP is being broadcast by the server. If you're not sure ask your local SysAdmin or click the Broadcast client checkbox and see if you recieve an update (usually within a couple of minutes). Note that logging with this feature will generate large log files.
Sync every x seconds
minimum - every 16 second
maximum - every 127 years
most will use a value somewhere between these extremes, I use 1800 seconds
SNTP versions 1,2,3,4 SNTP version 2 is the default
TIME/UDP
TIME/TCP
Quiet - Don't open the Automachron properties dialog box when the program starts (default) and log errors more quietly.
On Top
Set the Automachron dialog box on top of all other apps
Report Only
Don't set the time, just get it
Log
Log to file
Verbose log option
View log
Log Format
protocol version - host - port~date~time~offset(ms)
Log Format Verbose
protocol version - host - port~date~time~t1~t2~t3~t4~offset(ms)
Fields
protocol - ntp/time/broadcast
version - protocol version
host - host address
port - host port
date - date (local) after applying offset
time - time (local) after applying offset
t1 - client send time
t2 - host receive time
t3 - host reply time
t4 - client receive time
offset - offset applied to system time
Command Line Options - /s - Use this option once to tell Automachron to use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE rather than HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Automachron will always use the settings under HKLMOne Guy CodingSoftwareAutomachron if that key exists. This means that the /s switch is redundant on subsequent use. This also forces automachron to use the All users Startup folder. To stop using HKLM you'll have to delete the key using regedit (Standard Registry Disclaimer: proceed at your own risk.)
/q - quit after getting time
host (enter a fully qualified domain name FQDN and Automachron will use this as the default host)
Registry - HKCUSoftwareOne Guy Codingautomachron