Incorporate local timezone in jam recorder folder

[victorypoint]

In an effort to have Jamulus log entries match up with associated jam recorder folder names (without having to manually calculate UTC offsets), it is proposed that the jam recorder folder names incorporate local timezone rather than UTC timezone. The current recording functionality uses UTC date/time only - currentDateTimeUtc(). This would involve revising jamrecorder.cpp to use local timezone date/time - currentDateTime().

To illustrate the problem, current jam recorder folder names are based on UTC time, whereas the associated log entry that initiates the recording is logged using local time. For example:

"Folder Jam-20200423-185758274" - corresponds to log entry - "23.4.2020, 11:57:58, 70.67.70.31, connected"

An alternative solution, as proposed by corrados, is to give users the choice of using either local or UTC timezone in the recorder folder name by using server command-line parameters as per the following comments:

#497 (comment)

"Could we somehow encode that information in the given string? E.g.
./Jamulus -s -R [ltz]/home/test/jamulusrecordings
So that we parse the directory name for a given "[ltz]" at the beginning. Not the nicest solution but would work.

#497 (comment)

We already have command line arguments with combined informations. For consistency to these, we should use this format instead:
./Jamulus -s -R "localtimezone;/home/test/jamulusrecordings"
I.e. we use a ";" as a separator."

Also, having both the jam recorder folder and corresponding log file entry presented in standard ISO format (yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss) would also be helpful to match the two up.

Original post and discussion with detailed example - sourceforge post, have the recorder folder name reflect the current date/time of the local timezone.

[pljones]

This can be achieved by renaming the folder and files.

I don't see a need to change how it's currently done. Clients can be from anywhere - they're more likely to know their own offset from UTC than the timezone of the server, so finding a recording by UTC timestamp is clearly easier.

[corrados]

The reported issue was that the date of the log file and the recorder directories are not in sync. So if it is not a big deal, I think it would be good to be consistent within the Jamulus server.

[pljones]

I'd prefer everything in UTC, really. I don't like timezones at all.

[victorypoint]

Right, the issue is that the Jamulus log entries don't sync with the jam recorder folder name as I described in my sourceforge post. So, for example -

"Folder Jam-20200423-185758274" - corresponds to log entry - "23.4.2020, 11:57:58, 70.67.70.31, connected".

My only other concern is that the two don't display in standard ISO format (yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss) which would be nice - but that's a separate issue.

This 'jam-folder/log-entry' sync would be helpful for jam scheduling and management. As a sys admin, local timezone support is expected, especially for logs, filenames, folders, etc for debugging and basic file management. Windows requires a timezone, Linux is easily set; in my case, 'timedatectl set-timezone America/Vancouver'; Docker uses timezones for its virtual logs, etc; in my case, 'environment: TZ: America/Vancouver'. Providing current timezone for jam recording just seems like a natural feature to support.

Peter, although I appreciate your opinion, for me, local timezones are a pain to convert from UTC, especially in the American zones. Renaming jam folders afterwards is not that efficient. How about a compromise? Perhaps a new Jamulus command-line argument such as --timezone, -tz? On to use the current timezone, off to use UTC.

[corrados]

Let's keep the number of command line arguments small. We have one for the recorder directory. Could we somehow encode that information in the given string? E.g.
./Jamulus -s -R [ltz]/home/test/jamulusrecordings
So that we parse the directory name for a given "[ltz]" at the beginning. Not the nicest solution but would work.

[victorypoint]

Sound like it would work fine. Can you give an example of how a recording folder would be named?

[corrados]

Just a quick note: We already have command line arguments with combined informations. For consistency to these, we should use this format instead:
./Jamulus -s -R "localtimezone;/home/test/jamulusrecordings"
I.e. we use a ";" as a separator.

[corrados]

@pljones Are you intend to implement this?

[pljones]

#497 (comment)
No.

[victorypoint]

All I'm asking is to have the Jamulus log entries match up with the associated jam recorder folder name without having to manually calculate UTC offsets. Is that an unreasonable request? Also, having the two in standard ISO format (yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss) would also be helpful.

Currently, for example:
"Folder Jam-20200423-185758274" - corresponds to log entry - "23.4.2020, 11:57:58, 70.67.70.31, connected"