detecting user's timezone

[newbie]

Hi,

I wonder if it's possible to detect a user (the browser's) timezone
when he/she access my php file? I saw ppl suggesting using javascript
to collect that information. But I wonder if it's possible to do it
without the headache of javascript.


Thanks,


<?php
// (1) here I somehow get his/her timezone


// (2) here fill his/her login timestamp into database----
apparently, this timestamp should be converted to a unified time
zone.
?>

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: detecting user's timezone

newbie wrote:

Hi,
>
I wonder if it's possible to detect a user (the browser's) timezone
when he/she access my php file? I saw ppl suggesting using javascript
to collect that information. But I wonder if it's possible to do it
without the headache of javascript.
>
>
Thanks,
>
>
<?php
// (1) here I somehow get his/her timezone
>
>
// (2) here fill his/her login timestamp into database----
apparently, this timestamp should be converted to a unified time
zone.
?>
>

Nope. You need something which will run on the client's system to check
the timezone setting - i.e. javascript.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[ZeldorBlat]

Re: detecting user's timezone

On Jul 6, 7:25 pm, newbie <mitbb...@yahoo .comwrote:

Hi,
>
I wonder if it's possible to detect a user (the browser's) timezone
when he/she access my php file? I saw ppl suggesting using javascript
to collect that information. But I wonder if it's possible to do it
without the headache of javascript.
>
Thanks,
>
<?php
// (1) here I somehow get his/her timezone
>
// (2) here fill his/her login timestamp into database----
apparently, this timestamp should be converted to a unified time
zone.
?>

If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you care
what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
the client in your database?

[Rami Elomaa]

Re: detecting user's timezone

ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:

If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you care
what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
the client in your database?

Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global time
timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time displayed in
their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get it and then
convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to user. It's common
localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.

--
Rami.Elomaa@gma il.com

"Wikipedia on vähän niinq internetin raamattu, kukaan ei pohjimmiltaan
usko siihen ja kukaan ei tiedä mikä pitää paikkansa." -- z00ze

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: detecting user's timezone

Rami Elomaa wrote:

ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:

If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you care
>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>the client in your database?

>
Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global time
timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time displayed in
their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get it and then
convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to user. It's common
localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>

I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
tell me what time it is?

As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.

You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[amygdala]

Re: detecting user's timezone


"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
news:MKSdnQ5ea6 B8pg3bnZ2dnUVZ_ tijnZ2d@comcast .com...

Rami Elomaa wrote:

>ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:

> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you care
>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>the client in your database?

>>
>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global time
>timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time displayed in
>their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get it and then
>convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to user. It's common
>localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>

>
I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
tell me what time it is?
>
As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>
You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>

Perhaps the OP wants to show the user at what (local) time they last visited
/ contributed something / downloaded something, etc.

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: detecting user's timezone

amygdala wrote:

"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
news:MKSdnQ5ea6 B8pg3bnZ2dnUVZ_ tijnZ2d@comcast .com...

>Rami Elomaa wrote:

>>ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:
>> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you care
>>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>>the client in your database?
>>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global time
>>timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time displayed in
>>their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get it and then
>>convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to user. It's common
>>localizatio n practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>>

>I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
>digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
>tell me what time it is?
>>
>As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>>
>You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>>

>
Perhaps the OP wants to show the user at what (local) time they last visited
/ contributed something / downloaded something, etc.
>
>

Why? Do you think users really *care*?

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[amygdala]

Re: detecting user's timezone


"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
news:B-2dneFEprcq3w3bn Z2dnUVZ_tTinZ2d @comcast.com...

amygdala wrote:

>"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
>news:MKSdnQ5ea 6B8pg3bnZ2dnUVZ _tijnZ2d@comcas t.com...

>>Rami Elomaa wrote:
>>>ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:
>>> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you
>>>care
>>>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>>>the client in your database?
>>>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global time
>>>timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time displayed in
>>>their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get it and then
>>>convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to user. It's
>>>common localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>>>
>>I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
>>digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
>>tell me what time it is?
>>>
>>As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>>>
>>You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>>>

>>
>Perhaps the OP wants to show the user at what (local) time they last
>visited / contributed something / downloaded something, etc.

>
Why? Do you think users really *care*?
>

I didn't say *I* would use it. I was only trying to guess what the OP was
after. Also, I was gonna add that I couldn't find any real valuable use for
it, but perhaps there is. Come to think of it, and perhaps a bit far
fetched:

What if I had a bank account at some international bank and I wanted to see
at what local time I made my last payment transaction to some firm?

Just a thought.

[amygdala]

Re: detecting user's timezone


"amygdala" <noreply@norepl y.comschreef in bericht
news:46904673$0 $25474$9a622dc7 @news.kpnplanet .nl...

>
"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
news:B-2dneFEprcq3w3bn Z2dnUVZ_tTinZ2d @comcast.com...

>amygdala wrote:

>>"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
>>news:MKSdnQ5e a6B8pg3bnZ2dnUV Z_tijnZ2d@comca st.com...
>>>Rami Elomaa wrote:
>>>>ZeldorBla t kirjoitti:
>>>> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you
>>>>care
>>>>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>>>>the client in your database?
>>>>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global
>>>>time timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time
>>>>displayed in their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get
>>>>it and then convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to
>>>>user. It's common localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>>>>
>>>I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
>>>digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
>>>tell me what time it is?
>>>>
>>>As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>>>>
>>>You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>>>>
>>>
>>Perhaps the OP wants to show the user at what (local) time they last
>>visited / contributed something / downloaded something, etc.

>>
>Why? Do you think users really *care*?
>>

>
I didn't say *I* would use it. I was only trying to guess what the OP was
after. Also, I was gonna add that I couldn't find any real valuable use
for it, but perhaps there is. Come to think of it, and perhaps a bit far
fetched:
>
What if I had a bank account at some international bank and I wanted to
see at what local time I made my last payment transaction to some firm?
>
Just a thought.

But then again, if I was responsible for such an application, and I wanted
to provide that kind of 'convenient' service, I would probably make a user
of this system choose their place of residence.

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: detecting user's timezone

amygdala wrote:

"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
news:B-2dneFEprcq3w3bn Z2dnUVZ_tTinZ2d @comcast.com...

>amygdala wrote:

>>"Jerry Stuckle" <jstucklex@attg lobal.netschree f in bericht
>>news:MKSdnQ5e a6B8pg3bnZ2dnUV Z_tijnZ2d@comca st.com...
>>>Rami Elomaa wrote:
>>>>ZeldorBla t kirjoitti:
>>>> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you
>>>>care
>>>>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>>>>the client in your database?
>>>>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global time
>>>>timestamp , like GMT, but people still like to see a time displayed in
>>>>their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get it and then
>>>>convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to user. It's
>>>>common localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>>>>
>>>I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
>>>digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
>>>tell me what time it is?
>>>>
>>>As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>>>>
>>>You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>>>>
>>Perhaps the OP wants to show the user at what (local) time they last
>>visited / contributed something / downloaded something, etc.

>Why? Do you think users really *care*?
>>

>
I didn't say *I* would use it. I was only trying to guess what the OP was
after. Also, I was gonna add that I couldn't find any real valuable use for
it, but perhaps there is. Come to think of it, and perhaps a bit far
fetched:
>
What if I had a bank account at some international bank and I wanted to see
at what local time I made my last payment transaction to some firm?
>
Just a thought.
>
>

And what if the moon fell and landed on the Eiffel Tower? Would it
balance there? You can come up with all kind of "what-if's".

But in your case my bank has my zip code - and knows from that what my
timezone is. It gives me that information in that timezone.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Rami Elomaa]

Re: detecting user's timezone

Jerry Stuckle kirjoitti:

Rami Elomaa wrote:

>ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:

> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you care
>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>the client in your database?

>>
>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global
>time timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time
>displayed in their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get
>it and then convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to
>user. It's common localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>

>
I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
tell me what time it is?
>
As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>
You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>

Oh good grief... Not a clock, TIME! Like for example: an auction that
ends on 12:00 am GMT time. I want to see it converted into my local,
Finland timezone, which would be 10:00am.

--
Rami.Elomaa@gma il.com

"Wikipedia on vähän niinq internetin raamattu, kukaan ei pohjimmiltaan
usko siihen ja kukaan ei tiedä mikä pitää paikkansa." -- z00ze

[Jerry Stuckle]

Re: detecting user's timezone

Rami Elomaa wrote:

Jerry Stuckle kirjoitti:

>Rami Elomaa wrote:

>>ZeldorBlat kirjoitti:
>> If you're converting the time to a "unified time zone" why do you
>>care
>>>what timezone they're in? Why would you be recording the time from
>>>the client in your database?
>>>
>>Not record, just show. Naturally it makes sense to record a global
>>time timestamp, like GMT, but people still like to see a time
>>displayed in their local timezone, so the OP wants to know how to get
>>it and then convert GMT to local time, just for _displaying_ it to
>>user. It's common localization practise. Wikipedia for one does this.
>>>

>>
>I've got two analog clocks on the walls, a watch on my wrist, and a
>digital clock on my toolbar. What makes you think I need your site to
>tell me what time it is?
>>
>As for Wikipedia - I don't see any clock on the pages when I view them.
>>
>You can include a clock if you want - but it looks stupid.
>>

>
Oh good grief... Not a clock, TIME! Like for example: an auction that
ends on 12:00 am GMT time. I want to see it converted into my local,
Finland timezone, which would be 10:00am.
>

That's not what we're talking about here, Rami.

And I want to see how many hours and minutes before it ends.

--
=============== ===
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attgl obal.net
=============== ===

[Kevin Wells]

Re: detecting user's timezone

In message <1183764307.320 942.152330@z28g 2000prd.googleg roups.com>
newbie <mitbbsmj@yahoo .comwrote:

>Hi,
>
>I wonder if it's possible to detect a user (the browser's) timezone
>when he/she access my php file? I saw ppl suggesting using javascript
>to collect that information. But I wonder if it's possible to do it
>without the headache of javascript.
>

Would it not be possible to do this from their IP address?

--
Kev Wells http://kevsoft.topcities.com

http://kevsoft.co.uk/

ICQ 238580561
Useless Fact 04 The number of islands around mainland Britain is 6289.

[Lars Eighner]

Re: detecting user's timezone

In our last episode,
<16ed3bff4e.Kev in@talktalk.net >,
the lovely and talented Kevin Wells
broadcast on comp.lang.php:

In message <1183764307.320 942.152330@z28g 2000prd.googleg roups.com>
newbie <mitbbsmj@yahoo .comwrote:

>>Hi,
>>
>>I wonder if it's possible to detect a user (the browser's) timezone
>>when he/she access my php file? I saw ppl suggesting using javascript
>>to collect that information. But I wonder if it's possible to do it
>>without the headache of javascript.
>>

Would it not be possible to do this from their IP address?

You could probably beat outright guessing in that way, but there is no
reliable relationship between IP and geography, no necessary relationship
between the IP making the request and the user's actual IP at any given
moment, and again no necessary relationship between the user's actual IP at
any moment and geography.

You might get it right most of the time, but you will get it wrong a
significant part of the time, and in some cases you'll get it wrong in an
absurd way --- such as claiming the page was last updated some time in the
future.

--
Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/ <http://myspace.com/larseighner>
Countdown: 561 days to go.
Friends of Lizbeth: help replace failed a/c at Austin's no-kill shelter
<https://secure.groundsp ring.org/dn/index.php?aid=1 2349>

[houghi]

Re: detecting user's timezone

Lars Eighner wrote:

>Would it not be possible to do this from their IP address?

>
You could probably beat outright guessing in that way, but there is no
reliable relationship between IP and geography, no necessary relationship
between the IP making the request and the user's actual IP at any given
moment, and again no necessary relationship between the user's actual IP at
any moment and geography.

Guessing is a bit wrong. I would say guestimating.

You might get it right most of the time, but you will get it wrong a
significant part of the time, and in some cases you'll get it wrong in an
absurd way --- such as claiming the page was last updated some time in the
future.

Most of the times would be good enough for most of the sites. You can do
a first guestimate and then have a cookie so that people can change it
and have the correct time whenever they come back.

The accuracy would also depend on what you intend to do with it.

houghi
--
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