---
id: "P:cAlgo.API.OptimizationSettings.StartTimeUtc"
kind: "property"
type: "T:cAlgo.API.OptimizationSettings"
url: "https://help.ctrader.com/ctrader-algo/references/Plugin/Optimization/OptimizationSettings/StartTimeUtc/"
---

> Documentation index for agents: https://help.ctrader.com/ctrader-algo/llms.txt · machine index: https://help.ctrader.com/ctrader-algo/api.json

# OptimizationSettings.StartTimeUtc

Member of [OptimizationSettings](https://help.ctrader.com/ctrader-algo/references/Plugin/Optimization/OptimizationSettings/index.md).

## StartTimeUtc

Gets the start time in UTC for the optimization period.

Environments: Desktop supported · CLI not supported · Cloud not supported.

- CLI: Available to plugins only, and plugins cannot run in the CLI.
- Cloud: Available to plugins only, and plugins cannot run in the cloud.

C#:

```csharp
public DateTime StartTimeUtc {get;}
```

Python:

```python
optimizationSettings.StartTimeUtc: DateTime
```

### Returns

`DateTime` — 

Available since cAlgo.API 5.9.

### Examples

C#:

```csharp
var criteria = new[] { new OptimizationCriterion(OptimizationCriterionType.NetProfit, OptimizationCriterionDirection.Maximize) };
var settings = new OptimizationSettings(Server.TimeInUtc.AddMonths(-6), Server.TimeInUtc, 10000, criteria);
Print("Optimization starts at {0:u}", settings.StartTimeUtc);
```

Python:

```python
criteria = [OptimizationCriterion(OptimizationCriterionType.NetProfit, OptimizationCriterionDirection.Maximize)]
settings = OptimizationSettings(api.Server.TimeInUtc.AddMonths(-6), api.Server.TimeInUtc, 10000, criteria)
api.Print(f"Optimization starts at {settings.StartTimeUtc}")
```