Help on time zone data

[Avery Chan]

Hi,

I'm trying to parse the compiled (i.e.zic'd) time zone files. Is there a 
document indicating the exact structure of the files? I did a 'man tzfile'
  but it's not exact:

NAME
        tzfile - time zone information

SYNOPSIS
        #include <tzfile.h>

DESCRIPTION
        The  time  zone  information  files used by tzset(3) begin
        with bytes reserved for future use, followed by six  four-
        byte  values  of type long, written in a ``standard'' byte
        order (the high-order byte of the value is written first).
        These values are, in order:

How many bytes is "...bytes..."?

What would be most helpful is some code (preferably in C) showing how to 
parse the files.

Also I looked at the rule files, and I sort of understand them, but I'm 
not too sure what the format is exactly as well as some of the syntax (e.g.
  what is 'Link')?

Thanks,

Avery


--
At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony,
blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier,
and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite
of themselves.

-- Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks

I wish Daylight Saving Time would die.

-- Avery Chan