The Time zones module enables the configuration of time zones for the physical location of the server, for particular websites and even for particular users. This can be useful if your site has an international audience and you want the date and time displayed on your site to be correct for users from across the world.

 

Before it can be used, the module must be enabled as described in Developer's Guide -> Modules -> Time zones -> Enabling the module.

 

To learn how to configure individual time zones in the system, please see Managing time zones in the same chapter of the Developer's Guide. Time zones can also be set to adjust their time according to Daylight saving time.

 

Time zones are currently supported in:

 

•CMS Desk -> Content

•CMS Desk -> My desk

•CMS Desk -> Tools -> Events

•Web parts of the Blogs, Forums, Message boards, Messaging and Smart search modules; more information can be found in the Use in web parts topic

 

The Time zones internals and API sub-chapter provides information about the database tables and classes used by the module and examples of how time zones can be managed using the API and how correct time can be displayed by your code.

 

A typical example of use is displaying the time of forum posts when you have a global community – while the server may be located in New York (GMT -5:00), visitors coming from Paris (GMT +1:00) may see their new posts were added at 8am, while they would expect to see 2pm according to their current time.

 

Another example is a website of a global company that runs on a server in New York, but contains content for a French office. In this case, French visitors may wonder why the current time displayed by the server is 8am while it’s 2pm in Paris. That’s when you use the built-in support for multiple time zones.