Can I import as Facebook event time?

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  • #961839
    Rachel
    Participant

    I run a website that lets people know about classes and events related to a dance called kizomba – all over the USA. That means events occur in multiple time zones. I never set my WordPress time zone (didn’t realize I needed to), and so presently everything I import with the Facebook Import plugin is being imported and shifted to UTC +0. Is there any workaround that I can use that will let the events show the time as displayed in FB? If people live in Chicago and look at an event in California, they want to know what time the event starts California time.

    #961976
    Geoff
    Member

    Hey Rachel–welcome to the forums! thanks for reaching out. 🙂

    Good question. Yeah, the event’s time will import to what the timezone settings are in WordPress.

    Unfortunately, there is no way to display the timezone according to the person who is viewing the website. That would be awesome though!

    You could update the settings (Settings > General) to be the same timezone that is set to Facebook.

    Another idea is to add the timezone suffix to the event time (e.g. PT). You can do that by adding a T to the date format where it would most make sense in Events > Settings > Display. Here is a list of all the available date formatting options in WordPress that would work in those settings.

    The good news is that–whatever timezone is selected–importing the event to a desktop calendar or Google Calendar will convert the time to the relative timezone of the user.

    Does this help answer your question? Please let me know. 🙂

    Cheers!
    Geoff

    #962020
    Rachel
    Participant

    Hi Geoff,

    Thanks for writing me back. Let me rephrase.

    Let’s say I import 3 events from Facebook. They are all happening this Friday. One is in NYC at 8pm EDT. One is in Nashville at 3pm CDT. And one is in LA at 10pm PDT.

    Currently all those events are coming into my WordPress and being changed to my WordPress time zone of UTC +0. But even if I switch it to match my Facebook time zone, which is dependent on where I am that day – and I travel a lot – then the display will affect the events not in my current time zone.

    Let’s say I was in Portland Maine when I imported them, as I am today. Then I would see the NYC event as being correct at 8pm but the Nashville event as 4pm and the LA event at 1am. Even if the time zone is displayed to tell people that’s EDT, plenty won’t pay attention and others will be confused by the math.

    What I would like is for the event to display the same time as the Facebook event it was imported from. I don’t care where I am or where the viewer is, but if I import a Nashville event that will start at 3pm in Nashville, which is 3pm CDT, I want it to display as happening at 3pm.

    It seems like that should actually be easier than having a plugin that converts time zones…So if there is a way to just turn off that convert and retain the original FB data, that would be great.

    I appreciate the support!

    All the best,
    Rachel

    #962110
    Geoff
    Member

    Hi Rachel–thanks for following up!

    Ah, that makes much more sense. Thanks so much for clarifying that for me. 🙂

    I really wish there was a simple workaround for this, but there unfortunately isn’t at the moment. This has been a requested feature and we’d love it if you added your vote and feedback–the more we have the more it helps us see demand for it and how it should work.

    I’m sorry I don’t have a solution for you here, but I do appreciate you re-explaining what you are looking for–that helped a lot. 🙂

    Cheers!
    Geoff

    #962133
    Rachel
    Participant

    This reply is private.

    #962162
    Geoff
    Member

    Hi Rachel,

    Sure thing! You can send us an email to [email protected] with your receipt and we’d be happy to issue a refund. Please note this thread in the email and we’ll take care of it for you.

    Sorry the plugin wasn’t a fit here, but thanks for letting us know!

    Cheers,
    Geoff

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