better support for saving variables

sergio.py

@@ -188,8 +188,10 @@ class Pira:
     def read_variable(self, variable: str):
         return self.execute_command(variable)
 
-    def set_variable(self, variable: str, value: str):
+    def set_variable(self, variable: str, value: str, save: bool = False):
         cmd = f"{variable}={value}"
+        if save:
+            cmd = "*" + cmd
         self.execute_command(cmd)
 
     def save_variable(self, variable: str):
@@ -221,6 +223,7 @@ def get_parser():
 
     setvar = sub.add_parser("set")
     setvar.set_defaults(func=main_set)
+    setvar.add_argument("--save", action="store_true", default=False)
     setvar.add_argument("variable")
     setvar.add_argument("value")
 
@@ -260,7 +263,7 @@ def main_get(args, pira: Pira):
 
 def main_set(args, pira: Pira):
     try:
-        pira.set_variable(args.variable, args.value)
+        pira.set_variable(args.variable, args.value, save=args.save)
     except UnknownCommandError:
         print("Variable not found: {args.variable}", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
@@ -293,16 +296,11 @@ def main_synctime(args, pira: Pira):
     local_time = datetime.now(tz)
     date = local_time.strftime("%d.%m.%y")
     time = local_time.strftime("%H:%M:%S")
-    pira.set_variable("TIME", time)
-    pira.set_variable("DATE", date)
+    pira.set_variable("TIME", time, save=args.save)
+    pira.set_variable("DATE", date, save=args.save)
     delta = tz.utcoffset(datetime.now())
     offset = delta.total_seconds() / 1800  # multiple of half-hours. So +10800s => +6
-    pira.set_variable("LTO", "%+d" % offset)
-
-    if args.save:
-        pira.save_variable("DATE")
-        pira.save_variable("TIME")
-        pira.save_variable("LTO")
+    pira.set_variable("LTO", "%+d" % offset, save=args.save)
 
 
 def make_connection(args) -> Backends: