meeting remminders

[brynn]

Hi Friends,
I've installed a new tiny calendar on the forum index page (in case you have it hidden, it's in the panel on the left).  (Eventually I'll delete the one titled "Mini Calendar".)  It will show the meetings a week ahead of time (or any length of time we choose) along with the UTC/GMT time for the meeting.

Also, I'll be adding a little digital clock (well, there's an option for an analog clock too....but the digital one would take up less space).  So with the meeting time showing and the correct clock showing, it acts as a reminder for upcoming meetings.

At the moment, I've entered 2 test meeting dates, to show the 2 options we have.

For the test board meeting, it simply gives the UPC/GMT time for the meeting, and we'll have the UPC/GMT clock, to help.  However, that still leaves room for confusion because you still have to convert UPC/GMT to your local time.  But see the test Vectors meeting.

For the test Vectors meeting, you can see that there's a link.  I used an option to create a new message along with creating the new event for the calendar.  And in that message, I've added a link to a nice feature I found on the TimeandDate.com website.  It has converted the meeting time to different cities all over the world.

I think the 2nd one leaves the least room for confusion about when the meeting starts.  At first, I didn't like the idea of having each event on the calendar making a new message.  It just adds bloat to the site.  But since I found that awesome feature which shows the correct time for everywhere in the world....well, I can't think of any other way to use that feature, except to put the link in a message.

Hhmm....I guess if I put the link in the Event Title....but the link is so long, and that block is so small....  Maybe I'll make a 3rd test....

Anyway, comments, complaints, suggestions, all welcome, as always 

[brynn]

Hhm, looks like you can't make a link there, except going to a new topic.

[brynn]

Ok, the little calendar seems to be working.  I've configured it as much as possible, but I can't find any way to make Today's date match every theme.  But even though that color doesn't match every theme, the calendar still should be usable.  If something looks really bad in your theme, let me know, and maybe I can fix it.

One thing I changed (from the default calendar block) is the white highlight behind the dates (either today's date or meeting dates).  But if it's hard to see the dates in certain themes, let me know, and I'll add that white highlight back.  (Or it could be yellow - not sure what would be best for colorblindness?)

I think it's going to display some holidays.  I'm not sure how that will be, but it can be disabled if no one wants it.  We'll have to wait....I guess Valentines Day will be our first chance to see how that's going to look.

I just added the UTC/GMT clock.  Unfortunately, I can only make the text match one theme.  Is it showing up ok for everyone?  I could put a bg color behind it too, if it's hard to see.

Anyone in the IC Mentor / Full Member group or above an add an event to the calendar.  I'll be working on fixing the broken PM today, so I won't be able to add any meetings yet.  So if someone else gets around to it, before I do, that's fine.  The "How To" info is below:

See the test meeting Jan 30 for an example.  If you click on the event which is showing just under the calendar, it will open the associated message.  In that message is a link which will show your local time of the meeting.  If it doesn't show it automatically, there's a link to change your location.

This is the webpage where you can create that link, if you're adding a new event.  https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=test+meeting&iso=20180130T12&p1=75

You don't have to make a new topic for the event/meeting.  You'll see the checkbox in the form when you start a new event.  So if there's no time for a particular event (or you can mention the time in the Event Name) you can skip making the new topic.  Then people can use the GMT clock just under the calendar, to know when the meeting is.


Comments, complaints, suggestions -- welcome as always 

[brynn]

Oh wow!  I just found a mod which will send an email reminder for an event posted to the calendar.  If anyone is intersted, speak up, and I'll be glad to (try to) install it.  I might install it just for myself, haha.  But probably not unless others are interested.

Other calendar-related mods.  There's one that will sync our calendar with a google calendar.  I guess I've seen some talk of a calendar for the Inkscape website (mailing list, I think....?).  I doubt if it will be a "google calendar".  But if it somehow is, that would make it really worthwhile to install this mod.

[brynn]

Hhmm, something seems to be off with our UTC/GMT clock.  It seems to be off by an hour.  Does England (Greenwich) not recognize daylight savings time (or whatever it might be called there)?  If not, then that explains it.....but also throws a wrench in the works....

[Moini]

UTC is the universal time and does not change with summer/winter. Great Britain uses BSP currently (British Summer Time).

[brynn]

I'm so confused!

I'll have to come back to this sometime later.

But thanks for your comments