Simple Machines Community Forum

SMF Development => Feature Requests => Applied or Declined Requests => Topic started by: keyrocks on January 27, 2017, 04:25:19 PM

Title: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: keyrocks on January 27, 2017, 04:25:19 PM
It's been some time since this topic was discussed. It came up as a suggestion back in 2011 and again in 2013. Here's one of those 2011 discussions (http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=429270.msg3513237#msg3513237) as a reference.

From that, there was talk of removing the Calendar from SMF and offering it as an add-on or plug-in.
Question - has anything been done in that direction? I ask as I haven't been on this Forum for a few years, and am still running a site using SMF 2.0.2 ... and my Users have been bugging me for a few months to get Recurring Events working with the Calendar.

Any insights would be most appreciated.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: vbgamer45 on January 27, 2017, 04:29:27 PM
Nothing recent the last one I seen on a mod is http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=655
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Steve on January 27, 2017, 05:06:25 PM
Which is waaaaay out of date of course.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: d3vcho on January 28, 2017, 04:41:01 AM
I think something like that has been included for SMF 2.1. Not sure though.

And by the way, why are you still using SMF 2.0.2? You're 11 versions below the current one... I recommend you to upgrade ASAP.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: keyrocks on January 30, 2017, 11:15:34 AM
Quote from: d3vcho on January 28, 2017, 04:41:01 AM
And by the way, why are you still using SMF 2.0.2? You're 11 versions below the current one... I recommend you to upgrade ASAP.

Good question. I haven't upgraded it for a few reasons:

Quote from: d3vcho on January 28, 2017, 04:41:01 AM
I think something like that has been included for SMF 2.1. Not sure though.

It appears 2.1 is still not ready for prime time, though perhaps I'll install it on my offline server and check it out.
EDIT: SMF 2.1 Beta2 installed. Its Calendar is still the same as it is in 2.0.2 - no recurring events.

Quote from: vbgamer45 on January 27, 2017, 04:29:27 PM
Nothing recent the last one I seen on a mod is http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=655

Yes, thanks for the suggestion. I've already tried doing the manual mods for the later version of that mod (2520 (http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2520) but no luck ... too far out of date to apply with SMF 2.0.2.

Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Steve on January 30, 2017, 12:40:00 PM
I'm running around 70 mods, some of which are custom made and I have not yet had an upgrade patch fail in any way, just as an FYI. :)
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: keyrocks on February 20, 2017, 03:52:12 PM
UPDATE
Using Chris Curran's Repeating Calendar Events Mod for SMF1.1 (http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2520) (Sept. 12, 2010) as a guide ... I've managed to complete a Recurring Events mod that functions just fine for SMF 2.0.2. It excludes the Moon Phases Chris had in his original mod ... only because my main focus was on having Recurring Events functionality.

When time permits, I'll see if the mods I used for SMF 2.0.2 can be updated and applied to the latest version of SMF 2.1 Beta2 which I recently installed on my localhost (offline) machine.

Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Kindred on February 20, 2017, 04:46:18 PM
don't bother making mods for 2.1 yet. (especially not for beta 2 which is already changed and replaced code in many placed for beta 3)

Also, before you release anything based on Chris' code, you have to check his license to see if he allows modification and redistribution
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: keyrocks on February 22, 2017, 12:15:12 AM
Kindred:
Quote from: Kindreddon't bother making mods for 2.1 yet.
Good advice. What would you suggest I work with ... SMF 2.0.13?
You've been active here for 13+ years.
SMF version sequencing seems inconsistent to me. Looking back in the download archives, I located the full install for SMF 2.0.9 (description says 2.0.8 ) ... and the next after that was SMF 1.1.20.
Question - Why did version sequencing jump from 2.0.9 to the 1.1.xx series ... and now we're back to production versions in a 2.0.1x series?

Out of curiosity ... I found reading through Chris's original mod thread quite interesting, historically (viewed 211,300+ times) . I noticed you asked Chris about bundling his mod with a now-ancient pkg you were working on back in January 2006 but real life got in the way (which I fully understand, went through it decades ago). Then, on June 29, 2011, you mentioned "Calendar enhancements ARE on the schedule for future releases" (Recurring Events, Sign Up/Attendance, and time-of-day being the most requested) with *the plan* being to make the Calendar pkg an official plug-in (it's still included with 2.1 beta2).

Quote from: Kindredbefore you release anything based on Chris' code, you have to check his license to see if he allows modification and redistribution
Also good advice. I would if I could but ... there are no licensing, modding or redistribution notes anywhere in his mod package. Chris hasn't been active here since July 23, 2013.

Original mod thread references ...
Quote from: Kindred
March 11, 2010 (page 23)
If someone else with coding knowledge wants to take over this mod, I consider Chris to have abandoned it and I offer my interest in it to someone who is willing to take it over.

April 08, 2010 (page 23)
Chris took the mod over from me...   and has since abandoned it...   I consider this mod fair game...

Quote from: Chris Curran
October 14, 2010 (page 24)
If you guys want it for 2.x, then dl the code and modify it (then fight with the lords to be about the position of the curly braces). I did the heavy lifting already...

Considering the above ... and that almost 7 years have passed ... I will assume this mod is still "fair game" and that Chris's last post pretty much confirmed that. If I do get around to releasing updated packages I would definitely provide an historical timeline with the package noting Chris's work. Being a developer on other open source projects, I know the drill.  ;)
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Kindred on February 22, 2017, 04:29:35 AM
The smf versioning makes complete sense...   you are looking at two different release branches
1.1.x and 2.0.x

1.0.x is dead. There has been no development or support since the release of 2.0
1.1.x is at end of life. There is no further development and limited support. Death will be declared when 2.1 is released.
2.0.x is in support only mode. There is no further development except to latch security issues and the occasional critical bug fix. Support, however, will continue for the foreseeable future.

2.1 is the current development branch and is currently in beta release. (Beta 3 is due out shortly)
And no... the calendar updates did not make it into the branch.


As for the code...   yeah, chris' comment does seem to release it
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: landyvlad on March 28, 2017, 10:35:59 PM
keyrocks - I don't understand the question.  In the calendar you can set an event to be same day every year  (that's my definition of recurring).  I'm on SMF 2.0.13

Perhaps you mean something else?

Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Arantor on March 29, 2017, 02:36:43 AM
You're talking about the holidays feature. What this request is, is to be able to set something to occur every week, or every month, or every third Sunday or something.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: landyvlad on March 29, 2017, 02:47:25 AM
ah right just like in MS outlook etc etc - got it.  Cheers.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: SMiFFER on June 23, 2017, 10:51:06 AM
So there is no such mod that allows recurring events for the calendar?
Yes or no?

(So much OT to read I might have actually skipped that)
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Kindred on June 23, 2017, 06:14:27 PM
No
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: keyrocks on August 01, 2017, 04:02:11 PM
Quote from: SMiFFER on June 23, 2017, 10:51:06 AM
So there is no such mod that allows recurring events for the calendar?
Yes or no?
(So much OT to read I might have actually skipped that)

As Arantor noted on March 29/17 ... I was working on a Calendar mod to set events so they would repeat, either monthly, weekly, or over 2nd or 3rd weekday per month. I did manage to get it functioning well in SMF 2.0.2 and 2.0.13 offline (on my localhost office server) but for some reason it would not function when I updated the modded files on the live website (online). I haven't had time to trouble-shoot it further and have no idea why it runs fine offline but not at all when online. So ... at this point there is no working version of Recurring Events for the SMF Calendar.

Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: SMiFFER on September 24, 2017, 05:03:54 PM
Looking forward to this!!!! (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/images/smilies/113.gif)

Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: McGran on December 10, 2017, 05:35:49 AM
Any further news on this?
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Sesquipedalian on February 14, 2018, 12:42:49 AM
SMF 2.1 Beta 3 introduced support for times and timezones in calendar events. These improvements will need to be accounted for in any calendar mods for 2.1.

And before you ask, there are no plans to make recurring events a standard feature in 2.1. Extending the existing SMF 2.0 calendar system to include event times wasn't difficult,1 but adding recurring events is a different ball game. SMF's calendar system and its interaction with the rest of the forum (e.g. the ability to link events with forum topics) is all built on the assumption that events happen exactly once. Full and proper support for recurring events will require a significant restructuring of SMF's calendar system (not to mention a bunch of new code if it is to support even a reasonable subset of all of the possible recurrence rules defined in the iCalendar spec (https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5545)). I'd like to do that in SMF 3.0, but it isn't an option for 2.1.

That said, I'll be interested to see what keyrocks comes up with for his mod and how he tackles the issues.




1 Well, it required far more new code than I initially expected, mostly because timezones are a pain to deal with. But the changes to the database were simple.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: brynn on February 15, 2018, 04:13:10 AM
Here's another vote / request for such a feature.  I really don't have the technical expertise to say whether it should be a native feature, or a mod.  But standing poised to enter 2 monthly meetingns for the next year -- I would love to have recurring events, in any case.

Regarding Sequi's last comment -- not that I know anything about programming.  But having recurring events in the calendar, to me, is much more important than having events linked to messages/topics.  I would welcome the feature, even if it did not link to messages/topics.

Thanks for listening  :)
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Kindred on February 15, 2018, 10:15:00 AM
SMF 2.1 is already working on RC, which means it is feature frozen.

if there is a recurrent event feature, it would have to be added as a mod
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: SMiFFER on February 16, 2018, 08:13:58 AM
Quote from: brynn on February 15, 2018, 04:13:10 AM
Thanks for listening  :)

Quite right.

Well then... as a mod then!
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: ranonman on April 09, 2018, 09:52:24 AM
I'm definitely interested in this. I was creating an event and discovered that there are no recurring option. I'll keep eye out on this.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: rcolaneri on November 25, 2018, 04:25:32 AM
One more vote here for this feature.
I know it's kinda hard to do... but come on guys, it seems that people need it and you developed harder things to solve  ;)

Chris did it for v1.1 and Keyrocks managed to get a based version for v2.0.2
so it is not imposible, right?  :D

Any advance for 2.0.15?
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Arantor on November 25, 2018, 06:00:27 AM
No one is saying it is hard or not (though, honestly, I can't think of anything that is legitimately more difficult to build in 2.1 than this, despite apparent assertions about how easy it is, to do it properly is not easy)

The assertion is that the core team does not feel it is appropriate for the core software. Difficulty or time is not particularly relevant in that discussion.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: rcolaneri on November 25, 2018, 11:40:58 PM
Well true... the only relevant  in this discussion is: some people need it. That's why this topic exist. Right?

Nobody care if official or not, if as part of the core, mod or whatever (that's irrelevant for users)... some people who posted (like me) and others that never did has been waiting for a functionality that allows to add recurring events to the calendar like for example all the monday and thursday "theory day", on tue and wed "practice day" and friday custom event. And the users will check the calendar when they want to know that. And sometimes the days must be changed. Ik it's a stupid example but valid enough to show you the needing. The use could be more difficult but the fact is that functionality really helps.

If I knew how to develop proper mods I would be glad to do it, but the structure of smf is not easy to understand for me. I really need to understand many things of this system. I tried to do something but it was a mess  :P anyway I will keep trying.

It's a pity that Keyrocks has not published his work. Otherwise this topic would be solved.

Trying to adapt the version of Chris Curran I found some functions and cod that don't exist in SMF 2.0.x and I don't know where to put that code or how to replace it. Any help will be greatly appreciated  :)

Regards!
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Arantor on November 26, 2018, 02:04:10 AM
No, that really isn't the debate here. By that logic of some people need it, SMF should have every function and mods shouldn't exist.

The bottom line is that the calendar is not actually that heavily used and that for the time required to build the function, there are better things the core team can do instead.

The fact that no one has stepped up since suggests that no one with the skills is particularly interested in it, such that it isn't as big a deal as a whole as some make out. Though I appreciate this is a function you need, it does not follow that everyone needs it.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Gwenwyfar on November 26, 2018, 06:32:06 AM
This board is specifically for feature requests to the core software. If you want to ask for a mod you should do so in the mod requests board (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=79.0). As Arantor said, just because someone might use a feature, does not mean it should (or will) be in core.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: SMiFFER on November 27, 2018, 08:35:29 AM
Quote from: Gwenwyfar on November 26, 2018, 06:32:06 AM
This board is specifically for feature requests to the core software. If you want to ask for a mod you should do so in the mod requests board (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=79.0). As Arantor said, just because someone might use a feature, does not mean it should (or will) be in core.

I did just that - by stating what you see in Reply #21, why this thread then has not been moved is beyond my knowledge.
All I can see is a somewhat buerocratic discussion to avoid actually doing it.

Other users prove this my point right. They have the same feeling: If you bring up an idea, it is first LENGTHILY discussed for what it can be any good, then the discussion is about that it might be misplaced (instead of simply moving it to the appropriate location to be discussed) and then comes always and the same guy toning it down.

I am done requesting anything. It's either irrelevant or the 2.1 is feature-locked or you get 'it's done when it's done' - despite even personal attacks by always and the same guy.

I as well as the other SMF-fans do not deserve that.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Gwenwyfar on November 27, 2018, 08:57:34 AM
QuoteI did just that - by stating what you see in Reply #21, why this thread then has not been moved is beyond my knowledge.
You're right, maybe it should have been moved there instead.

QuoteAll I can see is a somewhat buerocratic discussion to avoid actually doing it.

Other users prove this my point right. They have the same feeling: If you bring up an idea, it is first LENGTHILY discussed for what it can be any good, then the discussion is about that it might be misplaced (instead of simply moving it to the appropriate location to be discussed) and then comes always and the same guy toning it down.

I am done requesting anything. It's either irrelevant or the 2.1 is feature-locked or you get 'it's done when it's done' - despite even personal attacks by always and the same guy.

I as well as the other SMF-fans do not deserve that.
Everyone here is giving their own free time to develop both SMF as well as mods and themes. It is simply not possible with the people available to develop everything (even if it is a good idea). So yes, new ideas will always be discussed because people contributing need to choose what they will invest their time on. If it's seen that it isn't of any benefit or it requires too much time for little benefit, then you're going to have a hard time finding someone to do it.

If you absolutely want something done you can always pay someone to do it (or even have multiple people pay for it as a shared effort to a common goal).
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Irisado on November 27, 2018, 01:21:44 PM
Quote from: SMiFFER on November 27, 2018, 08:35:29 AM
I did just that - by stating what you see in Reply #21, why this thread then has not been moved is beyond my knowledge.
All I can see is a somewhat buerocratic discussion to avoid actually doing it.

If you want to request that a topic be moved, you need to use the report to moderator button and ask that way.

Your reply (post number 21) didn't actually fulfil the criteria that Gwenwyfar outlined.  To fulfil the criteria, someone needs to start a new topic in the Mod Requests board and not just reply here.  You're welcome to start a new topic there to do just that if you wish to.

Leaving this topic in this board serves the purpose of showing the community that it has been declined as a core feature, thus preventing duplication of this topic in the near future.

Finally, regarding issues about personal attacks, none have been made in this topic.  If you ever have any concerns about the content of a post, however, please raise such concerns via the report to moderator button, rather than within the topic itself.

Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: rcolaneri on November 28, 2018, 07:02:29 PM
Guys, fist of all sorry for the misplaced post, the intention is not ask only to the core developers, also to the rest of the community. The idea is always to improve SMF. I just continued an existing topic because if I open a new one the moderators will love to jump over me sayin "use the search!!!"  ;D always happen in most of forums. 

Second, SMiFFER has a point and you will never see it because the hostility is more important.

It seems that the aggressiveness and discouraging of users is #1st attitude in forums. I understand that you want the posts ordered and consider this was an offtopic... but the topic didn't change. It's the same: repeating events. Sorry for the people "bothering" with this such of things that u don't care bc u have more important things to do. Instead of being nice and help the users you discourage them when they want to help (like me... I was doing the mod and wanted to post it for the community) but tbh... why to do that? You said that this is important only for me, ok. You also said that people can't ask anything because the developers will not add every thing the people ask (of course not, but let us talk about that, don't be so hostile!) Being said that, sorry for posting and bothering trying you make understand that there are needings. I will never talk again here for any new feature.

Who wants to understand my point, welcome. Thanks anyway for helping.
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Kindred on November 28, 2018, 07:24:19 PM
I think that both you and smiffer missed the point.

The feature was requested.
The feature was discussed.
It was rejected as a core feature (because despite the importance to you, it is not actually a critical feature to most -- hell we have discussed removing the calendar completely from future versions) and it was suggested that someone open a mod request

there was no aggression, no hostility, and no personal attacks...
there was no bother in the original request.... and no need to make us understand anything. We understand. We just disagree on the "criticality" of the feature.


And no...  when asked to create a mod request from a rejected feature request - no one is goingt o get yelled at by the moderators.
Why must everyone take a rejection of a request as a personal attack?   We just said "No, it won't be a feature". We never said "don't ever ask for anything again....   
Title: Re: Recurring Events for SMF Calendar
Post by: Gwenwyfar on November 29, 2018, 06:01:27 AM
rcolaneri: I think I understand what you mean, and this has already been brought up in some team discussions before.

But if you don't mind another "wrong place to be saying this", you're welcome to post any suggestions or constructive criticism in the Site Comments, Issues and Concerns board (https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?board=19.0) :)

And suggestions and ideas are not a bother ;)