# Displaying the server time on a client **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [May 18, 2010, 11:14am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851 "2010-05-18T11:14:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlThePal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/althepal/32/3603_2.png) [@AlThePal](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/AlThePal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 11:14am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851/1 "2010-05-18T11:14:39Z")
I want to display the server time on the screen of each client. Using a Client tag, I can set its Datatype to DateTime and use`SELECT NOW()`to return the time from the server, formatting it using the Metadata Format property. However, if I try to do the same using a SQLTag DB tag, the tag fails with an EXPRESSION\_EVAL\_ERROR. Is there any reason I can’t use a DB tag to do this? Is there any difference in using a Client tag versus a DB tag? (I thought using a DB tag would mean the database was only queried once each scan interval and the results passed to every client, rather than each client issuing its own query to the database.) ---
**Author:** ![Travis.Cox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Travis.Cox](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Travis.Cox)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851/2 "2010-05-18T15:17:27Z")
You have to select a database as the default to run queries in DB tags. So go into your gateway configuration section and select SQLTags -\> Realtime. Edit the default provider and attach it to your database. Once attached the query should run. ---
**Author:** ![AlThePal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/althepal/32/3603_2.png) [@AlThePal](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/AlThePal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851/3 "2010-05-18T15:22:03Z")
Thanks Travis, that sorted it. Am I correct in thinking a DB tag would be more efficient than a Client tag here? (By efficient I mean less reads of the relational database.) ---
**Author:** ![Travis.Cox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Travis.Cox](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Travis.Cox)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851/4 "2010-05-18T15:36:40Z")
Correct, it would only run once on the server and not on any clients. ---
**Author:** ![AlThePal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/althepal/32/3603_2.png) [@AlThePal](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/AlThePal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851/5 "2010-05-18T15:53:32Z")
I’m trying to display the DB tag on-screen by dragging it to the window and choosing ‘Display/Label’. This binds the Text property of the label to the expression`dateFormat({Misc/serverTime}, {Misc/serverTime.FormatString})`This displays correctly in the Designer, but when I try to save the window I get the following error:`com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Error during serialization for property 'propertyAdapters' on object '[FPMIWindow]Header' at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:291) at com.inductiveautomation.factorypmi.designer.xmlserialization.WindowDelegate.serializeProperties(WindowDelegate.java:37) at com.inductiveautomation.factorypmi.designer.xmlserialization.WindowDelegate.serialize(WindowDelegate.java:29) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializer.serialize(XMLSerializer.java:293) at com.inductiveautomation.factorypmi.designer.model.ObjectHolder.saveWindow(ObjectHolder.java:3316) at com.inductiveautomation.factorypmi.designer.model.ObjectHolder.commitWindow(ObjectHolder.java:3261) at com.inductiveautomation.factorypmi.designer.model.ObjectHolder.notifyProjectSaveStart(ObjectHolder.java:3543) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner.handleSave(IgnitionDesigner.java:1100) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner.access$2500(IgnitionDesigner.java:171) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner$Handler.handleSaveAction(IgnitionDesigner.java:1652) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner$Handler.access$1200(IgnitionDesigner.java:1245) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.designer.IgnitionDesigner$Handler$6.actionPerformed(IgnitionDesigner.java:1360) at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source) at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(Unknown Source) at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source) at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(Unknown Source) at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicButtonListener.mouseReleased(Unknown Source) at com.jidesoft.plaf.basic.BasicJideButtonListener.mouseReleased(Unknown Source) at java.awt.AWTEventMulticaster.mouseReleased(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source) at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source) at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source) Caused by: com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Error during serialization for property 'expression' on object '[ExpressionPropertyAdapter] ---> Label' at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:291) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serialize(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:312) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.delegates.MapDelegate.serializeElements(MapDelegate.java:42) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.delegates.MapDelegate.serialize(MapDelegate.java:32) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.doProperty(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:262) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:289) ... 39 more Caused by: com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Error during serialization for property 'children' on object '[FunctionExpression]com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.expressions.FunctionExpression@1e9843a' at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:291) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serialize(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:312) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.doProperty(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:262) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:289) ... 50 more Caused by: com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Error during serialization for property 'tagListenerDelegate' on object '[BoundTagExpression]com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.expressions.BoundTagExpression@1e83643' at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:291) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serialize(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:312) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.delegates.ArrayDelegate.serialize(ArrayDelegate.java:24) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.doProperty(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:262) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:289) ... 56 more Caused by: com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Error during serialization for property 'tagValue' on object '[TagListener]com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.expressions.TagListener@150a604' at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:291) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serialize(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:312) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.doProperty(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:262) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:289) ... 64 more Caused by: com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Error during serialization for property 'value' on object '[BasicTagValue][2010-05-18 16:49:51.0,GOOD_DATA]' at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:291) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serialize(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:312) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.doProperty(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:262) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:289) ... 70 more Caused by: com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.SerializationException: Unable to create clean copy of class java.sql.Timestamp at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializer.getCleanCopy(XMLSerializer.java:379) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.getCleanCopy(XMLSerializationContext.java:79) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:280) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serialize(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:312) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.XMLSerializationContext.serialize(XMLSerializationContext.java:58) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:204) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.writeCall(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:193) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.doProperty(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:262) at com.inductiveautomation.ignition.common.xmlserialization.serialization.DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.serializeProperties(DefaultObjectSerializationDelegate.java:289) ... 76 more `When I delete the binding the window saves without error. ---
**Author:** ![Carl.Gould](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/carl.gould/32/7262_2.png) [@Carl.Gould](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Carl.Gould)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/displaying-the-server-time-on-a-client/1851/6 "2010-05-18T18:23:51Z")
This is fixed for the next release.