# Getting a precise timestamp

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-a-precise-timestamp/100719>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [July 31, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-a-precise-timestamp/100719 "2006-07-31T18:06:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-a-precise-timestamp/100719/1 "2006-07-31T18:06:47Z")

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I am new to Ruby and am trying to get the precise time (down to a  
fraction  
of a second). For example, I did this:

require ‘date’  
now = DateTime.now  
puts sprintf (“The current time is: %2d:%2d:%5.2f”, now.hour, now.min,  
now.sec+now.sec\_fraction)

However, I discover that now.sec\_fraction is always zero. Am I not using  
the  
right object?

Thanks in advance for any help.

A Ma

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-a-precise-timestamp/100719/2 "2006-07-31T18:44:39Z")

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[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) writes:

> I am new to Ruby and am trying to get the precise time (down to a fraction  
> of a second). For example, I did this:

Time.new  
Time.new.usec

YS.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/getting-a-precise-timestamp/100719/3 "2006-07-31T20:23:27Z")

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“Yohanes S.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote in  
message  
news:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid…

> YS.

It works. Thanks a lot for your help.

A Ma