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   MSGID: 53295.sync@1:103/705 2bcc9b24   
   REPLY: 50243.dove-syncdisc@12:1/2 2bcc760b   
   PID: Synchronet 3.20a-Linux master/445394f9f Dec 20 2024 GCC 12.2.0   
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     Re: JS Object save_msg()   
     By: deon to Digital Man on Sat Dec 21 2024 07:26 pm   
      
    >   Re: JS Object save_msg()   
    >   By: Digital Man to deon on Fri Dec 20 2024 12:37 pm   
    >   
    > Howdy,   
    >   
    >  > Looking/thinking more about the use of time_t for storage of date/time   
    >  > for posted messages because your questions (thank you for those), I do   
    >  > see a flaw, after all these years: If the system (OS) time zone is   
    >  > changed (beyond just annual daylight versus standard time changes), then   
    >  > the stored "when_written_time" values in message headers no longer   
    >  > actually reflect the "wallclock time" of the posted message, as was the   
    >  > intent.   
    >   
    >  > For example, I post/save a message right now and it reflects (correctly):   
    >  > Dec-20-2024 12:30 PM, PST and it stores the current time_t value that   
    >  > represents that (as can be seen with ctime, etc.).   
    >   
    >  > However, if I move to BBS to the U.S. east coast and change the system   
    >  > (OS) time zone setting that message is now reported as having been posted   
    >  > at: Dec-20-2024 03:30 PM, PST   
    >   
    > Actually, I was pleased to see that messages are stored in time_t, and in   
    > fact the "wall time" you mention is still valid? I think its the right   
    > approach, because it doesnt represent that actual time a message was written   
    > (on your system anyway).   
    >   
    > IE: You posting a message at 12:30pm PST, isnt that 3:30pm on the east   
    > coast? Its that PST (aka scfg -> system -> local time zone) setting that is   
    > messing things. (I think - because that text is appended to the ctime()   
    > results.)   
      
   That's how messages are sent over message networks though, the date/time stamp   
   in the message header is the *local* time at site of the posting.   
      
    > If that was removed, (or rather changed to control how time is *displayed*   
    > only), and then reading messages can still be displayed in PST (if that is   
    > what you wanted), or shown "local" time zone (EST? dont know what east cost   
    > timezone is called).   
      
   A sysop can remove the time zone portion of the message header display if they   
   prefer, but I like it. If a message is posted at 4AM EST, I want to see that   
   when I read the message (not 12AM PST).   
      
    > (Additionally, it should be easier to allow users to show times in "their"   
    > local time - if it wasnt PST/EST, or for that matter AEDT/+11:00 then you   
    > use the users preferred timezone, instead of the system one when rendering a   
    > date.)   
    >   
    > IE: Messages, as written as stored in utc (time_t), no change there.   
      
   Message networks don't send date as time_t values, they send local wallclock   
   time. Converting that wallclock time to time_t (e.g. using mktime) uses the   
   current system/OS time zone for the conversion.   
      
    > When displaying a message, you set the timezone accordingly, then use   
    > ctime()? (Dont know the c/c++ function to display time in a differnet   
    > timezone, but I know it is manipulated by TZ environment variable right?   
      
   You can't set the TZ environment variable dynamically for a single thread, so   
   no, that's not really feasible. You have to apply the UTC offset yourself   
   (which I do now for the UTC-related @-codes).   
      
    > Showing age (which I do like in Sync), its easy to figure out how many hours   
    > ago something was posted, by using time_t (utc ints).   
    >   
    >  > If someone posted at 4AM in their local   
    >  > time, that's usually what I want to see in the message header.   
    >   
    > That I agree. Hence why I actually like the time offset appended to the time   
    > (+11:00 in my case). When I see a message as ... 04:00:00 +06:00, and its   
    > 6pm for me, I know immediately that it was written at 9am my time, and thus   
    > 9 hrs ago. But I do agree the timezone string looks good too, just harder to   
    > the math.   
      
   That's why Synchronet does the math for you. :-)   
   --    
                                               digital man (rob)   
      
   Rush quote #12:   
   Hiding beneath the sheets, got to try and fill the void...   
   Norco, CA WX: 55.6øF, 70.0% humidity, 0 mph ENE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs   
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