Update: Apache OFBiz Time Zone Support Strategy

[Adrian Crum <ad...@hlmksw.com>]

Just a quick update on this...

Step 3 is finished.

Step 4 is nearly complete. I submitted some patches to Jira 
(https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1164 and https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1170).

I did the best I can do on OFBIZ-1164. Working on the service engine and other core code was a 
little over my head. I have time zone support mostly working, but I've run into a brick wall. If 
time zone support is to be included in the project, then someone with experience in the service 
engine/rendering code needs to step in and help out.

Step 5 has begun with the Workeffort Calendar. A patch has been submitted to Jira 
(https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-1089) that demonstrates how it all works. If you apply 
the patches from OFBIZ-1089, OFBIZ-1164, and OFBIZ-1170 to your local copy, then you can see how 
well the time zone support works in the Workeffort Calendar. The only problem is a few screens still 
default to the server's time zone - which is caused by the unfinished work that I mentioned in Step 4.

At this point in time I've done all I can do. We just need someone to help with finishing the patch 
in OFBIZ-1164, then have the patches in OFBIZ-1164 and OFBIZ-1170 committed.

-Adrian


Adrian Crum wrote:
> I'm starting a new thread for us to discuss the User-Selected Time Zone 
> Support strategy. The previous thread regarding the Workeffort Calendar 
> Progress started to expand into other subjects and strayed away from the 
> original subject, so I thought it would be best if we separated the Time 
> Zone support discussion into its own thread.
> 
> My hope is that we can use this thread to brainstorm and come up with a 
> general implementation strategy and maybe even assume/assign tasks to 
> achieve the end result.
> 
> *** The Goal: To have OFBiz support a user-selected time zone. Once a 
> user has selected a time zone, nearly all of the date/time data will be 
> displayed/entered referenced to that time zone. Some system date/time 
> data may be excluded from this goal.
> 
> In the Workeffort Calendar thread, there was some discussion about how 
> the date/time data should be formatted. I propose we leave that detail 
> out of this discussion so that we don't get diverted. How the date/time 
> data is formatted doesn't affect this thread's goal or its strategy.
> 
> *** The Strategy (Some of this has been implemented already - it is 
> included here to make sure we're all on the same page) :
> 
> 1. Provide a means for the user to select a time zone.
> 2. Persist the user's time zone selection and make a corresponding 
> java.util.TimeZone object generally available
> 3. Provide a set of utility methods that take the user's TimeZone object 
> as a parameter to perform date/time conversions, date/time arithmetic, etc.
> 4. Modify some of the low-level framework code to accept an optional 
> TimeZone object, then pass that object on to the utility methods 
> mentioned in #3. A typical example would be the simpleTypeConvert(...) 
> method in ObjectType.java - where it handles Timestamp conversions.
> 5. Modify the higher-level code to call the low-level code using the 
> user's TimeZone object. Replace embedded date/time 
> conversions/arithmetic with utility method calls.
> 
> Please feel free to comment on/add to the stragey items.
> 
> Steps #1 and #2 have been implemented recently. (Btw, the patch in 
> OFBIZ-1126 needs to be committed to fix a bug).
> 
> Step #3 is partially implemented in the recent changes to 
> UtilDateTime.java.
> 
> Step #4 has not started yet. This step requires the expertise of 
> developers who are skilled with the service engine, widgets, and such.
> 
> Step #5 is the crucial one. Every step prior to this one will be 
> backwards compatible. Step #5 is the "plunge forward" - we do it all or 
> not at all.
> 
> I'm thinking we can start off by discussing and improving upon this 
> general strategy, then move on to specific tasks, etc. Let's hold off on 
> starting Jira issues, etc until the community has had time to comment 
> and reach a consensus.
> 
> Comments are encouraged and welcome.
> 
> -Adrian
> 
>