Thanks...

Although I now have an understanding of how the DS1307 is accessed and what the registers are... I'm still a long way from understanding a 300 + page data sheet on one of the more complex PICs !, and I must confess I'm still at a loss on how to use the 1307 to match a value in the code an in turn set a value of a variable.

I assume that each byte for each register (01H, 02H etc) is converted from binary into BCD (which I gather is 4bit type code format of binary)... or does pbp simply read each byte at each register.

I guess the simple answer is to wait until I receive the new chip with the alarm function and use that ?