# Global timestamp variable

**URL:** <https://mworks.discourse.group/t/global-timestamp-variable/404>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [July 31, 2017, 1:24pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/global-timestamp-variable/404 "2017-07-31T13:24:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cstawarz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/mworks.discourse.group/cstawarz/32/3_2.png) [@cstawarz](https://mworks.discourse.group/u/cstawarz)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 1:24pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/global-timestamp-variable/404/1 "2017-07-31T13:24:04Z")

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Chris,

How can I send the global timestamp you use to synchronize things internally in mworks as a string over 0MQ?

– Shay

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**Author:** ![cstawarz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/mworks.discourse.group/cstawarz/32/3_2.png) [@cstawarz](https://mworks.discourse.group/u/cstawarz)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/global-timestamp-variable/404/2 "2017-07-31T13:44:41Z")

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Hi Shay,

If you want to send it via the [Open Ephys network events client](https://mworks.github.io/documentation/0.7/components/open_ephys_network_events_client.html), just assign the current time (`now()`) to the “request” variable. MWorks will convert it into a string for you.

Alternatively, if you want to send a formatted string that includes the time, use the `format` function, e.g.

```
format("current timestamp = %d", now())

```

Chris

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**Author:** ![cstawarz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/mworks.discourse.group/cstawarz/32/3_2.png) [@cstawarz](https://mworks.discourse.group/u/cstawarz)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/global-timestamp-variable/404/3 "2017-07-31T13:46:44Z")

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Perfect. Thank you for the quick reply.

– Shay

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**Author:** ![cstawarz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/mworks.discourse.group/cstawarz/32/3_2.png) [@cstawarz](https://mworks.discourse.group/u/cstawarz)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://mworks.discourse.group/t/global-timestamp-variable/404/4 "2022-07-19T21:56:19Z")

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Closed on July 19, 2022, 9:56pm UTC