GUI for setting timezone

[Robert Moskowitz]

For the longest time, I used system-config-date for setting my timezone,
as I travel a lot.

Recently I jumped from Fedora 24 to F28 and system-config-date is no
longer supplied.  And I find out it is also not in F25, so I assume it
was dropped for quite a while.

Bad for me.  And others that do move timezones.

Is there anything equivalent in Xfce?  The clock app can set what
timezone it wants to show through a text block (no nice world map), but
this does not update the system timezone from what I have seen.

[Lars Behrens]

Am Mon, 11 Jun 2018 19:50:36 -0400

Post by Robert Moskowitz
Is there anything equivalent in Xfce?  The clock app can set what
timezone it wants to show through a text block (no nice world map),
but this does not update the system timezone from what I have seen.

Here setting it works, but crashes afterwards. I find scrolling
through all the zones tedious anyway.

If you're not afraid of the commandline: The timezone gets set
through the symlink '/etc/localtime' which points to the correct zone
in /usr/share/zoneinfo, the same does editing the setting
through the clock app.

AFAIK this is a thing that still is similar across the
various distros.

So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).

ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

e.g.:

~# ls -l /etc/localtime
~# /etc/localtime -> /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Berlin
~# date
~# Di 12. Jun 08:55:24 CEST 2018
~# ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Dublin /etc/localtime
~# ls -l /etc/localtime
~# /etc/localtime -> /usr/share/zoneinfo/zone/Dublin
~# date
~# Di 12. Jun 07:55:34 IST 2018

You could even set starters on the desktop for various zones with a bit
of terminal fiddling.

Cheerz,
Lars

[Igor Zakharov]

Post by Lars Behrens
So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).
ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

Another option is using systemd's timedatectl:

timedatectl set-timezone US/Eastern

Regards,
Igor

[Andreas Müller]

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Lars Behrens
So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).
ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

timedatectl set-timezone US/Eastern

FWIW: I sent a patch series ages ago [1] but that was rejected with
something like 'nobody needs such thing'. Since then I use it more or
less daily and maintain it for Openembedded/Yocto builds [2], I won't
work for 4.13 / GTK3 but once I have some cycles left I will port.

[1] https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10354
[2] https://github.com/schnitzeltony/xfce4-settings/tree/for-oe-4.12.3

Cheers

Andreas

[Robert Moskowitz]

Post by Andreas Müller

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Lars Behrens
So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).
ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

timedatectl set-timezone US/Eastern

FWIW: I sent a patch series ages ago [1] but that was rejected with
something like 'nobody needs such thing'. Since then I use it more or
less daily and maintain it for Openembedded/Yocto builds [2], I won't
work for 4.13 / GTK3 but once I have some cycles left I will port.
[1] https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10354

I added a comment to this.

Post by Andreas Müller
[2] https://github.com/schnitzeltony/xfce4-settings/tree/for-oe-4.12.3
Cheers
Andreas
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[Robert Moskowitz]

Reopening this discussion...

Post by Andreas Müller

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Lars Behrens
So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).
ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

timedatectl set-timezone US/Eastern

FWIW: I sent a patch series ages ago [1] but that was rejected with
something like 'nobody needs such thing'. Since then I use it more or
less daily and maintain it for Openembedded/Yocto builds [2], I won't
work for 4.13 / GTK3 but once I have some cycles left I will port.
[1] https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10354
[2] https://github.com/schnitzeltony/xfce4-settings/tree/for-oe-4.12.3
Cheers
Andreas

I have learned that system-config-date, though noarch and the F25
version works just fine on F28, is written in python2, so it is only a
matter of time until it dies.  This seems to be considered a desktop
experience issue so I bounce back here to see if we can get movement to
have something working.  Perhaps for Fedora 29; though I could test out
on F28...

thanks

[Robert Moskowitz]

Post by Robert Moskowitz
Reopening this discussion...

Post by Andreas Müller

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Lars Behrens
So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).
ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

timedatectl set-timezone US/Eastern

FWIW: I sent a patch series ages ago [1] but that was rejected with
something like 'nobody needs such thing'. Since then I use it more or
less daily and maintain it for Openembedded/Yocto builds [2], I won't
work for 4.13 / GTK3 but once I have some cycles left I will port.
[1] https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10354
[2] https://github.com/schnitzeltony/xfce4-settings/tree/for-oe-4.12.3
Cheers
Andreas

I have learned that system-config-date, though noarch and the F25
version works just fine on F28, is written in python2, so it is only a
matter of time until it dies.  This seems to be considered a desktop
experience issue so I bounce back here to see if we can get movement
to have something working.  Perhaps for Fedora 29; though I could test
out on F28...

Adam Williamson of Fedoraproject just added that system-config-date also
uses GTK +2.  Another barrier to being updated.  He also said that:

"the ancient system-config-* tools in
general are being / have been retired, with the intent that desktops
should provide replacement functionality. At least GNOME and KDE
usually do."


So make sure Xfce has or will deal with the lot of them...

thanks

[Robert Moskowitz]

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Lars Behrens
So IMO the fastest way to set the timezone is to change the symlink
(as root).
ln -sf /usr/share/[YourZone]/[YourCity] /etc/localtime

timedatectl set-timezone US/Eastern

Look at the subject line.  A GUI interface.  I well know the command
line options and have used them.

When I am traveling, I often don't know the city that is close to where
I landed.  Yes I can just guess on one that is in my new timezone, but I
rather at least get close (particularly in EU where I like to use a city
in the country I am in, rather than just some big city in my current
timezone).

The world graphic is a nice feature.

[Renaud (Ron) OLGIATI]

On Tue, 12 Jun 2018 08:18:57 -0400

Post by Robert Moskowitz
Look at the subject line.  A GUI interface.  I well know the command
line options and have used them.

In my install of PCLinuxOS I have in Drax-conf a GUI for setting date and time (and ntp).

Which is good since there is no timedatectl, as PCLinuxOS is thankfully free of systemd.

Cheers,

Ron.

[Robert Moskowitz]

Post by Renaud (Ron) OLGIATI
On Tue, 12 Jun 2018 08:18:57 -0400

Post by Robert Moskowitz
Look at the subject line.  A GUI interface.  I well know the command
line options and have used them.

In my install of PCLinuxOS I have in Drax-conf a GUI for setting date and time (and ntp).
Which is good since there is no timedatectl, as PCLinuxOS is thankfully free of systemd.

On the fedora user list I was just pointed to:


https://kojipkgs.fedoraproject.org/packages/system-config-date/1.10.9/3.fc25/noarch/

And I decided, what the heck, give it a try, it is noarch....  SO:

dnf install /home/rgm/Downloads/system-config-date-1.10.9-3.fc25.noarch.rpm
Last metadata expiration check: 0:00:01 ago on Tue 12 Jun 2018 08:23:00
AM EDT.
Dependencies resolved.
================================================================================
 Package                  Arch       Version Repository        Size
================================================================================
Installing:
 system-config-date       noarch     1.10.9-3.fc25 @commandline     602 k
Installing dependencies:
 gnome-python2            x86_64     2.28.1-23.fc28 fedora            51 k
 gnome-python2-canvas     x86_64     2.28.1-23.fc28 fedora            39 k
 libart_lgpl              x86_64     2.3.21-19.fc28 fedora            75 k
 libgnomecanvas           x86_64     2.30.3-15.fc28 fedora           234 k
 python2-slip             noarch     0.6.4-10.fc28 fedora            37 k

Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install  6 Packages

and there was the map!  but no ntp servers?  Had to add the fedora pool,
and it then worked.

So I am set for F28, but what about the next release?  It would be good
to get this feature into Xfce.

[Igor Zakharov]

Post by Robert Moskowitz
Look at the subject line.  A GUI interface.  I well know the command
line options and have used them.
When I am traveling, I often don't know the city that is close to where
I landed.  Yes I can just guess on one that is in my new timezone, but I
rather at least get close (particularly in EU where I like to use a city
in the country I am in, rather than just some big city in my current
timezone).

Since you travel so much... have you tried any of timezone-guessing apps?

This is what I was able to find on AUR:
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/localtime-git/
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/tzme-git/
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/tzupdate/

Regards,
Igor

[Robert Moskowitz]

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Robert Moskowitz
Look at the subject line.  A GUI interface.  I well know the command
line options and have used them.
When I am traveling, I often don't know the city that is close to where
I landed.  Yes I can just guess on one that is in my new timezone, but I
rather at least get close (particularly in EU where I like to use a city
in the country I am in, rather than just some big city in my current
timezone).

Since you travel so much... have you tried any of timezone-guessing apps?

No.  I use what is in the repos.  I am not a builder.  I have tried from
time to time, but just don't do it enough.  Maybe when I retire.

Post by Igor Zakharov
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/localtime-git/
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/tzme-git/
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/tzupdate/

No docs on these pages, and not familiar with how to find them.  How do
they know what to guess?  tzupdate at least says it uses IPgeolocation. 
That will work some of the time.  IETF meetings often have the
IPgeolocation pointing to where the LAST meeting was (like half the
world away?).

thanks though for the pointers.

[Igor Zakharov]

Post by Robert Moskowitz
No docs on these pages, and not familiar with how to find them.  How do
they know what to guess?  tzupdate at least says it uses IPgeolocation.

Though tzupdate doesn't seem to be distributed via Fedora repos, its page (https://github.com/cdown/tzupdate) says installation should be as simple as running
$ pip install -U tzupdate

I understand IP geolocation can be incorrect, but maybe it's worth a try?

Regards,
Igor

[Robert Moskowitz]

Post by Igor Zakharov

Post by Robert Moskowitz
No docs on these pages, and not familiar with how to find them.  How do
they know what to guess?  tzupdate at least says it uses IPgeolocation.

Though tzupdate doesn't seem to be distributed via Fedora repos, its page (https://github.com/cdown/tzupdate) says installation should be as simple as running
$ pip install -U tzupdate

Ah, a python install.  I have done those.... (i.e. xml2rfc).  Just not
familiar with how to find what is available that way.

hmm.  But nothing on how it works.  How it runs...  Going to have to
search for some docs.

Post by Igor Zakharov
I understand IP geolocation can be incorrect, but maybe it's worth a try?

I will give it a try.  My current IP geolocation is only ~30mi off. :)

My next travel is in 2 weeks.

[Lorenzo Sutton]

Post by Robert Moskowitz
For the longest time, I used system-config-date for setting my timezone,
as I travel a lot.
Recently I jumped from Fedora 24 to F28 and system-config-date is no
longer supplied.  And I find out it is also not in F25, so I assume it
was dropped for quite a while.
Bad for me.  And others that do move timezones.
Is there anything equivalent in Xfce?  The clock app can set what
timezone it wants to show through a text block (no nice world map), but
this does not update the system timezone from what I have seen.

True. Although one neat feature of XFCE panel + clock is that you can
add multiple ones each with its timezone and even cusomised string... so
when I am travelling in a different timezone or working a lot with
people in different timezone(s) I can actually have two clocks showing
respective timezones in the panel. Like here:

Loading Image...

Lorenzo.