Epic: Check in bug tracker and resolution

[JackHaeg]

Overview

Associated check in bug issues:

• Bug: Users Cannot Check In #1411
• [vrms.io] Most meeting times are stuck at "2024-03-xx" - "2024-04-xx" #1795
• The Guides team meeting is not available for checkin #1530

Current overview of Check In Bug per @trillium:

Overview:

• We have accurate timestamps for when the event should start, but the timestamp's date creation is happening sometimes on the day before because of timezone differences between Pacific Time and GMT.
• So, we need to update the backend function to take into account timezone differences of the base timestamp vs. now.

Here's a summary of what happens with events on VRMS:

• A recurring event is generated or updated
  • The front end sends a timestamp with the user's selected time to the backend
  • The backend stores that timestamp in GMT
• Periodically (weekly) the backend runs a script checking to see if any events happen on a day of the week (e.g., Thursday).
  • Within this bucket of events, a new date is generated in today's time and then the hour of that now current timestamp is set to the same hour as the stored recurring event hour.
  • Come check in time, a separate script is run to see if any of the events should be considered open (I believe the window is 30 min before start time and 30 min after the end of the event).
  • If the event's date is off, due to it being created in the wrong timezone (e.g., GMT vs. PST), then when the hour is assigned, the time is roughly off by 1 day or +/- 1 hour.

Action Items

Need to employ test-driven development to resolve this issue.

• Test timestamps in previous daylight savings period generate correct time today #1839
  • (Pending research outcomes from Test timestamps in previous daylight savings period generate correct time today #1839, additional issues will be added here). Where possible, portions of the create recurring events structure should be refactored into smaller functions so that they are more easily testable via unit tests.
• Investigate and Fix Incorrect Event Check-In Times in VRMS #1872

Resources/Instructions

[JackHaeg]

@trillium what do you think our timeline will be in terms of rebuilding Dev & Prod with this fix in place?

I'd love to test on both Dev & Prod to ensure that meeting times & check-ins are working properly. Then we can make an announcement to the PMs that the issue has been fixed and they can start using VRMS again to check in to events.

[trillium]

We triggered rebuild of Dev just now, will monitor and follow up

[JackHaeg]

Progress update: Backend build currently failing due to build action failure reasons unrelated to the PR. Once backend is rebuilt, additional testing can be completed and if all checks are passed, then the issues contained within this epic can be resolved.

• See here for progress on Back End build issue: Fix Backend Build Action #1860

[JackHaeg]

• Kurt's fix will be implemented in Dev, which was rebuilt on 3.3.2025. Conduct testing on Dev to see if events are displayed properly.

[JackHaeg]

@kurtmgray @trillium

After implementing Kurt's fix on Dev and testing this week, it appears that at least some issues are continuing to occur.

• For example, testing in Central Time Zone on March 6, 2025 at 11:38am CDT:
  • There is one meeting available to check in at 11:38am CDT: "!!! Polygon - 3pm Thurs Polygon MTG"
  • This meeting is reportedly scheduled for "5 - 7:30pm" CDT.
  • The "Manually Edit Events Checkin" displays that the meeting is available for check in from 9:00-11:00am.

Screenshots

Another example of Check in Issue with Project: "!!! GMX!!!!!! trillium" at 4:34PM Central Time

• Meeting "ts.TimingBug--Thursday8pm" shows as available for check in at 4:34pm Central Time.
• As you can see from the Recurring Events, this Event is scheduled for check in at 10pm - 12pm Central (i.e., 8-10pm Pacific as the name suggests)