It sounds like you are using the
RTC.COM application included with RomWBW to try and manipulate the RTC. That is perfectly fine, but as you have seen, it is not terribly user friendly. In fact,
RTC.COM was originally written (long ago) as a simple tool to test the RTC chip when it was first used in the original hardware that RomWBW targeted. The commands are (minimally) documented in the "
RomWBW Applications Manual". If that is not enough to wrestle it into submission, then post some more questions here.
OK, with that said, I think you are using the RTC tool correctly. Indeed, you use the (I)nitialize command to set up the date/time values followed by (S)et to actually program them into the RTC. Subsequently, you should be able to use (L)oop to display the current date/time which should increment appropriately. You may have a hardware issue if that is not working.
FYI, it is the intention of RomWBW to provide RTC services to the OSes themselves. Unfortunately, CP/M 2.2 has no concept of a clock. However, both ZSDOS and CP/M 3 do. Under ZSDOS, use the LDDS command to load the clock driver, then use the TD command to set or display the time. Under CP/M 3 use the DATE command to set or display the date and time. Hmmm... a warning. I am not sure, but the CP/M 3 adaptation in RomWBW in the current release version of RomWBW (v3.0.1) may not have RTC stuff fully implemented. Use ZSDOS or the development branch of RomWBW.
Thanks,
Wayne